Huntington Beach, Calif. - Golden West men's volleyball (2-0, 0-0 OEC) won home opener against the Santa Barbara Vaqueros (0-1, 0-0 WSC), 25-14, 22-25, 25-15, 25-22. 

Golden West played their first home game of the season on Wednesday against Santa Barbara. The Rustlers began the season on the road with a five set tough battle against Moorpark to earn their first victory. Golden West picked up where they left off as a unit and came out hot in the first frame. A mix of service aces and amazing diving plays carried the Rustlers into a first set victory. The home team earned the first set win with a dominant showing, 25-14. 

Santa Barbara kept it more competitive in the second set as they tied it with six points apiece. The Vaqueros worked to make it one point game throughout the second set and did just that. Midway through, the Rustlers had the point edge, 13-12. An incredible dig from Hunter Kraeszig setup Ezra Miller for a strong kill. It came down to the wire for the second set but Santa Barbara pulled it out and won, 22-25. 

To start the third set, each side had a set win and looked to break the tie. Reggie Ah-hong delivered a strong service ace to take a 7-3 lead. Golden West went on a run to take charge midway through the third set. Late in the third, the Rustlers took a double digit lead and won the set, 25-15. 

Up 3-1 to start the fourth set, a long rally took place in which Curtis Harper of Golden West ended it with a strong kill. Halfway through the fourth set, the Vaqueros gained momentum as they took a 14-15 advantage. It was back and forth when each side hit 20 points on the scoreboard. The gym was electric as Santa Barbara looked to stay alive and the Rustlers worked to end the night. At game point, Golden West was up 24-22. The home team earned their final score and defeated the Vaqueros in four sets, 3-1. 

NEXT UP: The Rustlers will be on the road for their next matchup against Santa Monica on Friday, February 2nd. The match will begin at 4pm.