Rustlers Remain Unbeaten with Home Sweep of Santa Monica

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – The Golden West College Rustlers men's volleyball continued their perfect start to the 2026 season on Thursday afternoon, earning a hard-fought 3-0 sweep over the Santa Monica College Corsairs men's volleyball by scores of 25-16, 25-23, and 26-24 at home.

Golden West improved to 10-0 on the season after controlling the opening set with a balanced offensive attack, hitting .412 while limiting Santa Monica to a .000 percentage. The Rustlers jumped out early and never looked back, building momentum behind strong serve-receive and efficient side-out play.

Set two proved more competitive, as the Corsairs pushed the pace behind improved attacking efficiency. Despite several late rallies by Santa Monica, Golden West remained composed, closing out the set 25-23 with timely kills and solid net defense.

The third set delivered the most drama, featuring multiple lead changes and extended points as both teams battled deep into extra points. Trailing late, the Rustlers answered with clutch swings and a key block to seal the sweep at 26-24, sending the home crowd into celebration.

Offensively, Golden West was led by Aidan Dubno, who posted nine kills on .368 hitting, while Gino Viggiano added nine kills, an ace, and eight digs. Frankie Gates delivered an efficient performance with seven kills on .462 hitting, and Travis Vandeluyster was a force at the net, tallying six kills on .500 hitting along with six block assists.

Setter John Braunstein orchestrated the offense with 21 assists, guiding the Rustlers to 44 total kills on the afternoon. Defensively, Kenneth Olmos anchored the back row with a match-high 15 digs, while Golden West finished with 18 team blocks, frustrating the Corsairs throughout the match.