SPOKANE, Wash. – For the first time in 23 years, the University of San Francisco women's basketball team (13-14, 10-8 WCC) earned the season sweep of Gonzaga (20-9, 15-3 WCC) with a narrow 70-68 victory Saturday afternoon at the McCarthy Athletic Center.
 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• San Francisco began the game on a 9-1 scoring run, holding Gonzaga to without a field goal until the 5:55 mark of the first quarter. Cami Fulcher, Freja Werth, and Emma Trawally Porta guided the Dons offensively as Werth scored four of the team's nine points.
• Gonzaga quickly answered with an 8-0 scoring run in the following two minutes to tie the game at nine, capped off with a Bree Salenbien layup at the 3:45 mark.
• Angeliki Ziaka knocked down a long three-pointer in the next possession, giving the Dons a 12-9 advantage at 3:30.
• Trading baskets the rest of the way, the Bulldogs recorded the final field goal of the opening quarter to take a 17-15 lead.
• Fulcher kickstarted a 5-0 scoring run for San Francisco at the start of the second quarter, connecting on a mid-range jumper with 14 seconds off the clock, tying the game at 17. Werth added a fastbreak corner three at 8:12 for a 20-17 advantage.
• The Bulldogs regained the lead and used three straight three-point field goals to take a 28-20 edge heading into the media timeout at 4:41.
• Responding with five of the following seven points, two free throws from Werth and a Mia Vukšic three-pointer trimmed the deficit to five, 30-25, at 3:04.
• Gonzaga held San Francisco scoreless throughout the final three minutes as the Bulldogs led 34-25 at halftime.
• A 7-0 scoring run for the green and gold began the third quarter, bringing the program to within 34-32 at 8:06. Three players scored during the early run, highlighted by Aya Kéita's first three-pointer.
• Trailing by five, 50-45, with 2:10 to go in the quarter, seven straight points for the Dons secured the lead, 52-50, following points from Werth, Fulcher, and Ziaka.
• Despite San Francisco outscoring Gonzaga, 27-19, in the third quarter, the Bulldogs grabbed the lead late as Maud Huijbens knocked down a straight-away three-pointer for a 53-52 advantage.
• In a highly defensive final quarter, the Dons opened the fourth with a 7-1 scoring run for a 59-54 lead. Vukšic and Fulcher produced for the green and gold on the offensive end, connecting on second-chance three-pointers while Werth added a free throw at 5:27.
• Gonzaga regained the lead shortly after with seven straight points for a 61-59 edge less than two minutes later.
• Going back and forth in the back half of the period, both teams continued to trade field goals as the Bulldogs led 64-62 following a Yvonne Ejim layup at 2:25. Scoring five of the following seven points, capped off with a Ziaka go-ahead three-pointer, the Dons secured the lead for good, 67-66 with 1:27 remaining.
• San Francisco locked down defensively late in the contest, holding Gonzaga to without a field goal while Leite connected on three clutch free throws for a 70-68 edge with seven seconds on the clock.
• On a last defensive stand, Trawally Porta contested the final shot to solidify the victory for the Dons.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• Three players scored in double figures for San Francisco, led by Werth's game-high 19 points. Along with Werth, Fulcher (13 points) and Ziaka (12 points) guided the team offensively.
• In 28 minutes off the bench, Ziaka shot 45.5 percent (fie-for-11) from the field and knocked down two of her five attempts from three-point range, including the go-ahead long ball late in the fourth quarter.
• Fulcher recorded four of the Dons' 14 offensive rebounds, leading to 12 second-chance points.
• Seynabou Thiam played a crucial role defensively for the green and gold as she grabbed a season-best six rebounds and totaled one steal.
• Despite being in foul trouble early in the contest, Trawally Porta scored eight points on an efficient four-of-six shooting, grabbed two rebounds, and led the team with two blocks.
• As a team, San Francisco had success in fast-break opportunities, outscoring Gonzaga 13-7 in fastbreak points.

POSTGAME WITH THE DONS:

• To view the full postgame interview with Head Coach Molly Goodenbour, please click here.
• To view the full postgame interview with Freja Werth and Cami Fulcher, please click here.

UP NEXT:
San Francisco returns to the Hilltop for its final slate of home games beginning with Portland at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27 at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.
 
FOLLOW US:
For updates and more information on the San Francisco women's basketball program, follow the Dons @USFDonsWBB on Twitter, @USFDonsWBB on Instagram and @USFDonsWBB 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.