Box Score SPOKANE, Wash. – The University of San Francisco volleyball team (17-13, 10-8 WCC) concluded the regular season on a high note, defeating Gonzaga (1-27, 0-17 WCC) in a five-set thriller on Saturday at Charlotte Y. Martin Centre.
 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• Jolei Akima opened the first set with a service ace to start the scoring for San Francisco and kills by Delaney Ewing, Maria Petkova, and Michalina Rola helped guide the Dons to a 7-5 lead in the early stages.
• Trailing by one, 12-11, the Dons embarked on a five-point run to take a commanding 16-12, highlighted by Auylen Ayub accumulating a kill, block assist, and two assists.
• Attempting to close the deficit, Gonzaga trimmed the green and gold's advantage to two, 23-21, before the Dons won two of the final three points to secure the 25-22 first-set victory.
• With the second set tied at 16, the Bulldogs used an 8-2 scoring run, capped off by a kill from Juliette Russell to reach set point, 24-18.
• The Dons answered, recording five straight points to cut the opposition's lead to one, 24-23, following three consecutive kills from Astrid Puig.
• Despite the comeback, Gonzaga won the second frame's final point to even the match at a set apiece, 25-23.
• Gonzaga, in a similar fashion, gained an edge early in the third set, using a convincing 8-1 run to take an 8-6 lead.
• In a highly contested frame, with the set tied at 23, the Bulldogs used a kill from Parker Austin while forcing Amelia Dombrowska into an attack error to win the set, 25-23.
• San Francisco battled back in the fourth, taking advantage late in the frame. Leading by one, 20-19, Delaney Ewing and Ayub produced back-to-back points, putting the Dons up, 22-19. The green and gold fended off a late rally, as Puig continued her offensive dominance with a kill to win the set, 25-22.
• The Bulldogs kept the Dons off the scoreboard at the start of the deciding fifth set, jumping out to a 3-2 advantage.
• San Francisco responded with a 6-1 run to take the lead, 6-4, with four players recording a kill. Despite the Zags trimming the Dons' advantage to one, 8-7, the green and gold won seven of the final nine points, with Maria Petkova registering three kills, giving the Dons a 15-9 fifth-set victory.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• Puig posted a match-high 18 kills throughout the five sets while hitting at a .471 clip. She also ended the contest with a team-high 20 points.
• Four Dons reached double-digits in kills against the Bulldogs, Puig (18), Goodman (14), Petkova (11), and Ewing (11).
• For the second match in a row, Goodman recorded seven total blocks. The senior ended with 19 points, a new season-high, marking the 19th time she's reached double-digits.
• Akima paced both teams for the most digs as she posted 31, three shy of her season-high 34. 
• As a team, San Francisco finished the season on a three-match winning streak, earning three consecutive five-set matches. 

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 – Provident Credit Union - 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.