SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The University of San Francisco volleyball team (12-6, 5-1 WCC) opened a three-match homestand with a victory, defeating Gonzaga (1-15, 0-6 WCC) 3-0 Thursday evening at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center to remain undefeated on the Hilltop.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- Gonzaga took the upper hand to begin the match, scoring six straight points to take an early lead in the first set.
- San Francisco bounced back with ease, using a 9-1 scoring run sparked by a Michalina Rola kill to regain the lead at 9-7. Rola produced two kills during the run, while Maria Petkova and Hayden Goodman guided the Dons.
- Following the Bulldogs shortly after cutting their deficit to one, 11-10, the Dons recorded 10 of the subsequent 12 points to take a commanding 21-12 advantage. A balanced attack propelled the Dons to the nine-point lead as Rola, Petkova, Goodman, Aylen Ayub, Delaney Ewing, and Astrid Puig combined for seven kills and two service aces.
- Despite a push by the Zags at the end of the opening frame, a block from Anica Bobic and Goodman shut the door to give the Dons a 25-19 first-set win.
- San Francisco continued to dominate in the second set, leading the frame wire-to-wire to take a two-set advantage in the match. Being aggressive on the serve, Rola doubled the Dons' lead early in the second set, recording three consecutive service aces to give the green and gold a 12-2 edge.
- Holding Gonzaga to only 15 points in the second set, Amelia Dombrowska concluded the second frame, 25-15.
- San Francisco held the lead throughout the entire third set as Shannon Sheehy and Shannon Knight began the frame with an ace and a kill to put the Dons up 2-0.
- Holding onto a narrow 14-12 lead midway through the set, Crystal Galaviz kickstarted an 8-1 scoring run with a kill as the Dons pushed ahead, 22-13.
- Dombrowska and Knight finished the scoring for the green and gold with three kills to give the team a 25-16 third-set victory, securing the program's ninth straight-set win of the season.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
- In a balanced offensive team effort, Knight and Rola led the team with six kills apiece, while Knight totaled a season-best .857 hitting percentage. Rola finished the three-set match with three service aces, matching her season high.
- Jolei Akima led the backline as she recorded a match-high 17 digs. Reaching double-digit digs for the eighth straight match, Akima increased her season total to 250, marking the fourth time in her five-year career she has reached at least 250 digs in a season.
- Splitting time at the setter position, Ayub and Sheehy combined for 37 assists, with Sheehy tallying a season-high 13.
- As a team, San Francisco recorded a hitting percentage of .303, totaling a .300 percentage or better for the third straight match. The Dons top the WCC in hitting percentage during conference play, swinging at a .283 clip.
POSTGAME WITH THE DONS:
UP NEXT:
San Francisco continues its homestand at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20, when it takes on Pacific at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.
FOLLOW US:
For more information and updates on the University of San Francisco volleyball program, be sure to follow the Dons on Twitter
@USFDonsVB,
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@USFDonsVball on Facebook.
MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Get your official San Francisco Dons gear from the University of San Francisco bookstore today! Click
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SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our primary sponsor –
Nike - for their continued support of USF Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contact
Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.
