This was a tough loss for the men last night...
Santa Barbara won a hard-fought match, 20-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-18, 16-14, to earn its fifth Final Four appearance. Tenth-ranked Penn State (24-6) and No. 9 Ohio State (24-6) also qualified Saturday for the Final Four, scheduled this Thursday and Saturday at State College, Pa., and USC (23-3) is expected to receive an at-large bid.
The Gauchos (17-14) won the MPSF tournament title for the first time and are seeking their first NCAA title. They have been NCAA runners-up four times, most recently in 1988.
The Trojans, who have been ranked No. 1 all season, had a five-match winning streak snapped. Their six-match win streak against UC Santa Barbara also ended.
Maybe this loss will make them very hungry as they go into the Final Four.