No. 5 seed UC San Diego (13-14, 3-7 Big West) powered past UC Santa Barbara (14-12, 5-5 Big West) 3-0 at Bren Events Center in Irvine on Thursday to advance to the Big West Championship semifinals. Unfortunately, its momentum failed to carry over to Friday’s match, when UCSD fell to No. 1 seed Hawai’i (27-4, 9-1 Big West) 4-1, ending the Tritons’ season. 

Quarterfinal

The Big West Championship quarterfinal offered UCSD a chance at revenge against the Gauchos. Last week, the Tritons lost 3-2 to UCSB at LionTree Arena on Senior Night. 

“Our Achilles’ heel the last 10 sets we played against the Gauchos was fighting off their aces and being able to consistently play volleyball against them,” head coach Brad Rostratter said in a postgame press conference. “And I thought that we made a tremendous stride in terms of that.”

Junior outside hitter Sebastiano Sani began the match with a quick kill for UCSD. UCSB sophomore outside hitter Ethan Saint — who went on to lead the Gauchos offensively in the match — balanced the scoreboard before the Tritons regained the lead with a 5-point run. Saint scored another kill before a 4-point Triton surge, which featured two service aces by Sani, extending UCSD’s advantage to 10-2.

The Tritons maintained their dominance throughout the set, with redshirt junior setter Cameron Wurl pulling the strings of the offense with 12 assists. The Gauchos, down 24-16, attempted to delay the loss, powering through a 3-point run before the Tritons took the set 25-19. 

UCSB began the second set with a better foundation, scoring 4 points before UCSD gained its first of the period. The Gauchos gave little opportunity for the Tritons to gain traction in the first 10 points, with the scoreboard heavily unbalanced at 7-3. 

After a UCSD timeout, the Tritons regained some of their initial momentum. Redshirt junior outside hitter Josh Ewert scored 3 points to shrink the deficit to 10-9. Wurl put down a kill and 2 points at the net, including a solo block, with a mission to not let a ball past him for the rest of the set. Redshirt junior outside hitter Leo Pravednikov then scored back-to-back aces; a kill by Ewert closed out set two 25-22.

“I wasn’t going into the match thinking I was going to go rogue dumping,” Wurl said after posting five kills, a new career high. “It’s just kind of how the cards folded tonight. I mean, all credit to the passing, you know, it takes a tight enough pass to do so.”

UCSD built a 13-9 lead. However, the Gauchos created walls on the front lines to deny UCSD’s attacks, and the impenetrable Gaucho defense pushed UCSB ahead 17-16. 

For the second time in the match, UCSD contained UCSB’s run, limiting the Gauchos’ scoring until set point. After a 4-point burst, the Tritons brought the game to match point at 24-22. As if to redeem his four service errors, Sani ended the match with his third and final ace.

For the first time in program history, the Tritons secured back-to-back semifinal appearances in the Big West Championship. Understanding the challenge ahead, Wurl noted the contrasting playing styles UCSD would have to prepare for in the next matchup.

“I think both Santa Barbara and Hawai’i play a very different brand of volleyball,” Wurl said after the match on Thursday. “I think Hawai’i relies a lot on their size and physicality, which we are going to prep for. I’ll be in my little hotel room tonight watching film, so we’re ready for whatever comes at us tomorrow.”

Semifinal

The semifinal against Hawai’i began with the first point going to the Tritons after a block by redshirt senior middle blocker Jim Garrison — a face at the net that would be familiar to striking Rainbow Warriors, his former teammates. UCSD’s advantage peaked at 16-13 before Hawai’i scored six straight points and flipped the set for good. The Tritons gained 3 points late to delay the set win, but five unanswered points sealed the opener for Hawai’i 25-19.

Before either side could take control in the second set, the Tritons catapulted themselves with a 3-point run. A relentless Sani netted the next 6 points to extend the lead to 20-14. Continuing with some of their best passing of the season, the Tritons won the set 25-19.

“I think, set two, we were more aggressive,” Sani said. “I think our reception got a lot better. So, we were able to run our offense a lot better. And then, even when we were put in tough spots, we just cranked at the balls, and we ended up getting a bunch of kills, and almost everything was going our way.”

Getting off to an early 7-5 lead in the third set, UCSD seemed to maintain its momentum. The Tritons’ efforts faltered in the face of Hawai’i’s offensive consistency, and a 5-point streak solidified that dominance. UCSD would not regain its offensive spark for the rest of the match.

The defensive front became the Tritons’ strength; Garrison put up five blocks to secure points. But without solid attacks, Hawai’i took the set 25-20. 

The Tritons’ confidence slipped as they entered the final set. UCSD’s sloppy attacks allowed the first 3 points to go to Hawai’i. Ewert put up three kills for the Tritons to place them on the board, but it wasn’t enough. 

Once the set was tied 6-6, UCSD could not find the floor. Hawai’i held the serve for 10 points; Rostratter scrambled to his bench, hoping that one of his substitutions would end the Rainbow Warriors’ streak. Although redshirt senior opposite hitter Luke Chandler managed to end the burst at 17-7, the lack of room for error did not pair well with the already-struggling Tritons. 

The set ended 25-13 for Hawai’i, concluding UCSD’s season with a rough final set. Hawai’i battled Long Beach State on Saturday in the final, falling to the Beach in a five-set match. LBSU fills the Big West automatic slot in the NCAA Championship as the reigning champions, aiming to repeat last year’s success.

UCSD’s season ended short of a title, but the team remained resilient. After losing three All-American standouts from last year, the Tritons rebuilt to finish 13-14 overall and reach the Big West semifinals for the second straight year. Three All-Big West athletes are graduating from the program this year as well, with Sani selected for first team and Garrison and Ewert as honorable mentions. UCSD’s next step is sustaining its rise and building on this foundation heading into 2027.