SAN FRANCISCO — A strong start and an even stronger finish Friday carried the San Francisco volleyball team to a thrilling 3-2 (25-20, 25-20, 10-25, 23-25, 16-14), five-set victory over visiting Hofstra University in the Dons' first home match of the season at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.
 
IMPORTANT MOMENTS

• San Francisco (3-4) never trailed in the first set en route to a 25-20 win, but it took a comeback in set two to win by the same score and go up 2-0 in the match. Hofstra (6-2) led 7-2 early and still led 12-8 midway through, but later on USF climbed back into it with a 7-2 run that made the score 22-18. Kathya Garcia had three kills during the run. Garcia also helped close out the set by notching a kill to make it 23-20, then serving for the final two points.
   
• Hofstra dominated the third set. San Francisco committed nine attack errors in the frame and hit -.143 compared to the Pride's overwhelming .542. Hofstra got out to a 6-1 lead on four USF attack errors, then pushed its lead to 12-4, 17-5, 19-6, and 23-8 before finally clinching the set.
   
• That gave the Pride momentum heading into the fourth set, though San Francisco bounced back and made them earn it. The fourth set featured 10 ties and three lead changes. The Dons tied the match at 22-22 and 23-23, but the Pride got a kill from Aisha Skinner and took advantage of a USF error to even the match at 2-2 and send it to a deciding fifth.
   
• The fifth set was just as close as the fourth with seven ties and four lead changes of its own. The Dons led 10-7, but consecutive USF errors made it 10-9 and started a 5-1 run for the Pride that gave it a 12-11 lead. Back and forth the teams went from there, trading points as Hofstra would take a one point lead and USF would tie it, all the way up to 14-13, where Hofstra was serving for match point.
   
• But Ivania Ortiz served it into the net to tie the set at 14-14. Katie Wagstaff followed with an energetic solo block that made it 15-14, and then she put it away herself with a kill on the next point to give USF the 16-14 set win and 3-2 match victory.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

• Three Dons notched double-doubles, including Garcia, who had her fourth consecutive double-double with a team-high 15 kills and 11 digs. Both setters Erin Anthony and Ally Wada also had double-doubles. Anthony logged 27 assists with 10 digs, and Wada had 13 assists with 11 digs. The duo also combined for three of the team's six aces on the night.
   
• Three Dons turned in double-figure kills, led by Garcia's 15. Kate Ashman put down 13 terminations with a .346 hitting percentage. Emily Zinger totaled 11 kills. Hofstra's Laura Masciullo had a match-high 23 kills while hitting .373.
   
• Hofstra totaled 15 blocks on the night. Michela Rucli had 11 blocks on her own, while four other players had at least three each. Luisa Sydlik collected 59 assists. Two Hofstra players had double-doubles, with Skinner logging 17 kills and 15 digs, and Nanishka Perez totaling 10 kills and 17 digs.

COMING UP

• The Dons host Southern Utah at 7 p.m. Saturday to close out the home stand before heading to Southern California for their final non-conference tournament of the season next weekend.