MORAGA/STOCKTON, Calif. – Following a week off from competition, the University of San Francisco volleyball team (12-8, 5-3 WCC) returns to face off at Saint Mary's (5-13, 1-8 WCC) at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, at University Credit Union Pavilion and Pacific (13-8, 3-6 WCC) at noon on Saturday, Nov. 2, at Alex G. Spanos Center.
 
MATCH 21 INFORMATION:
Date: Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Opponent: Saint Mary's
Location: Moraga, Calif. / University Credit Union Pavilion
Watch: ESPN+
Live Statistics: StatBroadcast
 
MATCH 22 INFORMATION:
Date: Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Opponent: Pacific
Location: Stockton, Calif. / Alex G. Spanos Center
Watch: ESPN+
Live Statistics: StatBroadcast
 
DONS AT A GLANCE:

• In its lone match last week, San Francisco dropped a hard-fought five-set match to Pepperdine on Saturday, Oct. 24 on the Hilltop. Maria Petkova led the Dons offensively against the Waves with a season-high 19 kills and a .300 hitting percentage.
• Following the match against Pepperdine, San Francisco stands alone in fifth place in the WCC standings with a 5-3 record. As a team, the Dons rank first in points per set (17.09), hitting percentage (.260), and kills per set (13.10).
• Jolei Akima paced the Dons' backline against the Waves, recording 20 digs throughout the match. The graduate student leads the team and ranks third in the WCC with 306 digs this season. As a team, San Francisco is third overall in total digs with 1,130.
• Aylen Ayub reached double-digit assists for the 20th consecutive match, totaling 39 against Pepperdine. Adding to her overall total, she has 740 assists on the season, the second-most by an individual in the conference. 

SCOUTING THE GAELS:

• Saint Mary's is currently in 10th place in the league standings with a 1-8 record following a straight-sets loss to San Diego on Saturday, Oct. 26. Dropping the last five contests, the Gaels have not won a match since defeating Gonzaga on Thursday, Oct. 10.
• As a team, the Gaels are currently fourth in the WCC in hitting percentage at .220 and 10th in kills with 802 in 65 sets.
• Tessa Schouten and Genevieve Bane feature the Gaels' offense, with Schouten leading the team in hitting percentage at .301, while Bane ranks first in kills with 201.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS:

• Following a straight-set loss to San Diego on Thursday, Oct. 24, Pacific enters the week in seventh place with a record of 3-6.
• As a team, the Tigers have been a dominant force all season as they rank first in the WCC in points (1,346.5), assists (949), kills (1,078), service aces (126), and digs (1,285).
• Alexa Edwards leads Pacific and the conference in kills and points, totaling 361 and 402.5, respectively.
• Defensively, Jayhlin Swain ranks first overall in digs with 355 and has been a consistent force, tallying double-digits digs in all 21 matches this season.

SERIES HISTORY:

• Since 2002, Saint Mary's holds a 31-14 series lead over San Francisco, winning six of the last eight contests. In the most recent matchup this season, San Francisco swept Saint Mary's in three sets at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center on Thursday, Oct. 3.
• Pacific leads the all-time series against San Francisco, winning 21 of the last 26 meetings since 2002. The Dons dropped a hard-fought match to the Tigers in the last matchup, falling 3-2, on Saturday, Oct. 19, on the Hilltop.

FOLLOW US:
For more information and updates on the University of San Francisco volleyball program, be sure to follow the Dons on Twitter @USFDonsVB, @USFDonsVB on Instagram and @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 here to purchase.
 
SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our primary sponsor – Coca-Cola - 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.