SAN FRANCISCO – The University of San Francisco women's volleyball team once again competed hard, but ultimately fell to visiting BYU 3-1 (15-25, 25-20, 24-26, 18-25) on Saturday afternoon at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.
 
"BYU is a very good team, so hats off to them," said head coach Frank Lavrisha. "They did a great job after we put some pressure on them to elevate a little bit and respond to the challenge we gave them. Our team really responded after a slow set in and really battled after that. Overall, I'm pleased with the way we played. We were right there with them in sets two and three."
 
San Francisco (5-7, 5-7 WCC) finished the match with 52 kills on 146 swings with 19 errors for a .226 attack percentage.  USF had two players finish with 10 or more kills led by McKenna Marshall's team-high 22 kills.  Greta Corti added 13.
 
Aylen Ayub had a double-double with 37 assists and 10 digs.  She was one of three Dons in double figures in digs. Anna Dalla Vecchia finished with match-high 25 digs, she also had five assists and two aces.  Irene Abbruciati had 15 digs as well.
 
BYU (9-1, 8-1 WCC) had their second consecutive match hitting over .300 as a team. They finished the day with 67 kills, on 157 swings, with 14 errors for a .338 attack percentage. Three players finished in double figures in kills for the Cougars. Taylen Ballard-Nixon had a match-high 23 kills while hitting .316.  She also had 11 digs for a double-double. Erin Livingston had 18 kills, and Kennedy Eschenberg had 10 kills on 19 swings for a .474 attack percentage.
 
The Cougars took the opening set 25-15 thanks to a blistering attack. The Cougars finished with 17 kills in the frame while hitting .405. The Dons responded with 11 kills of their own, but hit into a match-high six attack errors.
 
In the second set, USF took advantage of small runs to even the match up at 1-1. The Dons scored the first three points on kills by Corti and Marshall and continued to lead throughout the set. Marshall sealed the set for the Dons with the last of her seven kills in the frame.
 
In the third set the Dons went on a run early once again, but were unable to hold on to the lead.  USF tied the set up at 24 following a kill by Corti but the Cougars put it away thanks to back-to-back kills by Eschenberg and Taylor-Nixon.
 
In the fourth set the Cougars went on a 4-0 run early and took advantage and eventually put the match away going on a 5-0 run late.
 
The Dons will return to action on Friday, March 13 when they travel to Moraga, Calif., to take on the Gaels. Friday's match is slated for a 5:00 p.m. start from McKeon Pavilion.