WEST POINT, N.Y. -- The University of San Francisco women's volleyball team opened up the new season on Friday, Aug. 24 in West Point, N.Y. at the Army Invitational. Up first, the Dons dominated Quinnipiac 3-0, but couldn't follow through against UTSA and fell 1-3.

MATCH 1
The Dons started the first set of the match with a kill by Kathya Garcia that landed them the first point of the day. USF held the lead the entire way through the set and after another kill from Garcia, the Dons took the set and led 1-0.

At the start of the second set, Quinnipiac scored the first three points, but the Dons were quick to take back the lead off of an attack error. The two schools stayed close to one another in points, but after another recorded kill by Garcia, the Dons secured the second set.

In the final set of the match, a kill by Kate Ashman gave the Dons the first lead of the set. USF saw a breakaway in points half way through it led 14-10 after a service ace from Quinnipiac. To finish off the match, Garcia came in with a kill and after an attack error by Quinnipiac, the Dons won the match 3-0.

STATS OF THE MATCH

• The Dons outhit Quinnipiac .204 to -.010.
• Gracia led her team with 14 points, 12 digs and 11 kills. Ally Wada had the highest hitting average on her team, averaging 1.0 hits and Erin Anthony led with 18 assists. Emily Zinger and Kate Ashman recorded four total blocks.

MATCH 2
The Dons continued their momentum into the second match of the day, taking the first set and leading 1-0 over UTSA. An attack error in favor the Dons was their first point and for the rest of the set, the two schools matches point for point in almost every play. A kill by Lena Bondar gave USF the set point and McKenna Marshall's kill gave her team the win.

In the next two sets, the Dons fell behind UTSA. During the second set, USF finished 20-25, followed by a 22-25 finish in the third set, which placed the Dons behind UTSA, 1-2.

USF saw a comeback in the fourth set when it held the lead for the majority of the set. Kate Ashman came out with the first kill of the set followed by attack errors and service aces against UTSA. The score became tied at 23-23 and the Dons couldn't hold onto the momentum in the last few plays, dropping the set 23-25 and the match 1-3.   

STATS OF THE MATCH

• USF tied UTSA in blocks with nine.
• Marshall led the second match with 12 kills followed by Bondar with 10 and Garcia with eight. Anthony had assists high of 24 and 16 digs were recorded by Anna Dalla Vecchia.

UP NEXT
The Dons are back on the courts tomorrow for the final game against Army. The matchup is slated to start at 9 a.m. Make sure to follow the Dons on Twitter @USFDonsVB for more updates.