Nov. 23, 2002

Northridge, Calif. - It was no easy task, but the seventh-ranked UC Santa Barbara women's volleyball team became just the seventh squad in Big West Conference history to complete league play unblemished by defeating Cal State Northridge 30-22, 30-26, 35-37, 30-21 Saturday night in the Matadome.

The Gauchos finished their perfect Big West season at 18-0, and also raised their overall record to 28-1. Of the six previous teams which have run the conference table, five have gone on to play in the NCAA Final Four.

Senior setter Brooke Niles played a match to remember for UCSB, recording career-highs of 61 assists and 25 digs for her 13th double-double in 2002. Niles' crisp passing enabled a quintet of Gauchos to reach double-figures in kills, led by senior Danielle Bauer's 19. Junior Francina Edmonds followed suit with a career-high-tying 15 put-aways, while hitting a match-best .462 and blocking five total Matador attacks. Recording double doubles were senior Courtney Guerra (14 kills, 10 digs) and junior Erica Menzel (10 and 19), while freshman middle blocker Megan Blackshire enjoyed the second-best performance of her young career by slamming home 13 balls.

In her final match, Northridge senior Erica Aere went out in style with 20 kills to lead all players as her squad concluded its 2002 campaign at 11-16 overall and 5-13 in conference action. CSN also received a 15-kill performance from Jennifer McNees and 10 put-aways from Heather Kirby. Sevryn DeMoss was the Matadors' top digging artist with 18 scoops.

UCSB's final regular-season match is a darn good one, against top-ranked USC on Tuesday, Nov. 26 in the Thunderdome. Gaucho seniors Guerra, Bauer and Niles will be honored prior to the 7:00 p.m. start, while Santa Barbara head coach Kathy Gregory will earn her 700th career victory with a defeat of the Trojans.