Rustlers Sweep Santa Monica, Advance to 3C2A Final Four

Photo By Sean Sydnor
Photo By Sean Sydnor
April 17, 2026
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HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – The No. 2-seeded Golden West College men's volleyball team opened postseason play in dominant fashion Friday evening, sweeping No. 7 Santa Monica College, 25-18, 25-19, 25-18, in the first round of the 3C2A Championships inside the Golden West Gym.

With the victory, the Rustlers improve to 22-3 overall and advance to the 3C2A State Final Four, where they will face conference rival Fullerton College.

Golden West controlled the match from start to finish, using a balanced offensive attack and strong serving pressure to keep the Corsairs out of system throughout the night. The Rustlers hit .244 as a team while holding Santa Monica to a .157 hitting percentage.

Leading the way offensively was Gino Viggiano, who recorded a match-high eight kills, while Aidan Dubno added eight kills and two service aces. Noah Nelson was highly efficient, finishing with six kills on a .600 hitting percentage.

Setter John Braunstein directed the offense with 16 assists, while Bryce Nehova contributed 13 assists as Golden West's two-setter system continued to create opportunities across the front line.

At the service line, the Rustlers made a significant impact, tallying seven aces as a team. AJ Kuebrich and Dubno each registered two aces, helping Golden West build momentum in key stretches of each set.

Defensively, Kenneth Olmos anchored the back row with a team-high 10 digs, while the Rustlers limited Santa Monica's offensive rhythm across all three sets.

Golden West set the tone early with a strong opening set and maintained control throughout, closing out the match with another decisive third-set performance to secure the sweep.

The Rustlers will now turn their attention to the state semifinal matchup against Fullerton College, with a berth in the 3C2A State Championship on the line.