ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – The 10^th ranked Lewis University men's volleyball team picked up another win over ranked foe defeating 15^th ranked University of California Santa Barbara 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-23) on Saturday afternoon at Neil Carey Arena. Ryan Coenen (Franklin, WI/Franklin) led three Flyers (5-3) in double figures with 15 kills.

The opening set went back-and-forth with seven ties and two lead changes. The Gauchos (3-3) built a 19-14 lead late in the set but Lewis responded with a 7-2 run to even the frame at 21-all on a block from Tyler Mitchem (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) and Julian Moses (Atlanta, GA/Atlanta International School). After a UCSB timeout, the Gauchos scored three of the next four points to reach set point first on Keenan Sanders eighth kill of the set. Mitch Perinar (Channahon, IL/Minooka) kept the Flyers alive on a kill as Connor Drake was called for being in the net but Sanders ended the frame on the next point with his ninth kill.

Lewis raced out to a 10-3 lead to begin the second set but the Gauchos were able to climb back into the set with a 14-9 run to cut the Flyer lead to 19-17. Lewis responded to the run finishing the set by scoring six of the last 10 points to even the match at a set apiece. Coenen led the Flyers with five kills in the stanza while TJ Murray (Barrington, IL/Barrington) added three.

The third set was very similar to the first set with 10 ties and two lead changes. Lewis led by three early only to see UCSB come back to tie the set. Lewis finished the frame on a 7-1 run to win the stanza 25-19. Coenen had a kill and two services in the decisive run while Murray added a kill. The Flyers only hit .250 in the frame but held the Gauchos to a .161 hitting percentage.

Lewis raced out to a 5-1 lead in the fourth set but UCSB rallied to cut the deficit to 13-12 after a kill from Sanders. The Flyers though never relinquished the lead and stretched it out to 24-20 on a kill from Dalen Instenes (Racine, WI/William Horlick). The Gauchos mounted one more charge scoring three straight points but Coenen ended the match with a kill to give Lewis the 25-23 win.

The Flyers finished the match with .283 hitting percentage (49 kills, 17 errors, 113 total attacks). Joining Coenen in double figures was Perinar with 12 kills and Murray added 10 kills. Matt Yoshimoto (Ventura, CA/Adolfo Camarillo) handed out 46 assists and also had a match high 14 digs.

Sanders led all players with 24 kills while Corey Chavers added nine kills. Casey McGarry dished out 41 assists while Grady Yould led the way with 10 digs. UCSB ended the match with an attack percentage of .191 (48 kills, 23 errors, 131 chances).

Lewis continues its nine match homestand on Friday when it welcomes 13^th ranked USC to Neil Carey Arena for its White Out match.