MORAGA, Calif. — The University of San Francisco volleyball team got off to a quick start Saturday, but host Saint Mary's woke up and used its own momentum to ride to a 3-0 (29-27, 25-17, 25-20) West Coast Conference victory at McKeon Pavilion.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• San Francisco (5-16, 1-9 WCC) ran out to a 19-8 lead in the first set and was primed to take a 1-0 match lead. Eight total Saint Mary's (8-12, 4-6 WCC) errors helped boost the Dons into the dominant position. But the Gaels came roaring back. A 9-1 run made it a three-point score at 20-17. San Francisco pushed it to four out of a timeout, but SMC scored four straight – including back-to-back blocks from Selbie Christensen and Alex O'Sullivan – to tie the set at 21-21.
   
• The Dons got to set point first in the opening set thanks to a kill from Kathya Garcia that made it 24-23. But a service error immediately after tied it back up at 24-all. San Francisco reached three more set points at 25-24, 26-25, and 27-26, but each time the Gaels tied it back up with kills. Consecutive kills by Sienna Young gave the Gaels their first lead of the set at 28-27, and an attack error by the Dons sealed the deal at 29-27 for Saint Mary's.
   
• San Francisco scored the first point of the second set but wouldn't lead again, as Saint Mary's carried the momentum from its big comeback in the first set to the second. Five consecutive points made it 5-1, another 6-0 run later made it 13-5, and a 7-1 stretch late in the set made it 23-14. The Gaels held USF to .049 hitting in the second set, though their hitting was down, too, at a .275 clip after hitting .318 in the first.
   
• The Dons never led in the third and final frame, but they kept it close. Trailing 12-6 early, USF whittled away at the Gaels' lead with an 11-6 stretch that pulled them back within one at 18-17. Saint Mary's scored seven of the last 10 points in the set, getting kills from Breyan Ashley and Aubrey Pitts, and blocks from Pitts, Young, O'Sullivan and Alexsa "Crash" Parker.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• .330: Saint Mary's hitting .330 Saturday snapped a three-match streak for the Dons of holding their opponents to under .200 hitting. San Fracisco is 0-5 this season when its opponent hits over .300.
• 13: Saint Mary's totaled 13 blocks, with four players logging at least five each. It was the fourth time in the last five matches a USF opponent has had at least 10 total blocks.
• 15: Emily Zinger led all players with 15 kills. It was her fourth consecutive match with double-figure kills. She also led USF with a .458 hit percentage.

COMING UP

• The Dons return to War Memorial at the Sobrato Center in November to play six of their final eight matches at home. USF hosts South Bay rival Santa Clara at 7 p.m. on Friday. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on USFDons.com.