Oct. 16, 2008

Box Score

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Four players recorded double-digit kills, paced by sophomore Ashton Basch's career-high 17 to lead the 20th-ranked University of San Diego women's volleyball team to a 3-1 (23-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-22) win over No. 18 Santa Clara University Thursday evening in a West Coast Conference match at the Levey Center.

With the win, the Toreros improve to 13-3 overall and move to 3-1 in the WCC. With the loss, the Broncos fall to 12-4 overall and fall to 3-1 in the WCC.

Basch paced the San Diego offense with her 17 kills on 31 attempts, while only committing seven attack errors to post a .323 attack percentage. Amy Mahinalani DeGroot recorded a double-double with her 15 kills and 11 digs. Ali Troost was the third USD player in double-digit kills with 12 on 29 attempts to post a .345 attack percentage and the final Torero in double-digit kills was Torey Ellick, who had 11 kills on 16 attempts while committing no attack errors to post a .688 attack percentage. Jessica Nyrop recorded a season-high 55 assists in directing the USD offense to a .356 attack percentage and Andrea Csaszi led all players with her 14 digs.

In set one, the early going was an even battle with each team taking their turn with the lead and neither team having a lead bigger that one. Then with the score knotted at 5-5, an Ashton Basch kill ignited a 6-2 San Diego run that was capped on a DeGroot kill to give the Toreros a 11-7 lead. The Broncos then used a 6-3 run to pull even with USD at 14-14 on a Krista Kelly kill. The two teams then sea sawed back and fourth with seven ties, and finally with the score knotted at 22-22, SCU closed out the set with a 3-1 run to grab the early momentum and a 1-0 lead.

In the second set, again it was an even battle in the early going, then with the score knotted at 5-5, a Troost kill sparked a 6-3 San Diego run to give the Toreros a 11-8 lead. After an Anna Cmaylo kill, the Toreros then put together a 6-2 run that was ignited on a Ellick kill and capped on a SCU attack error to give USD a 17-11 advantage. The Toreros never looked back as they cruised their way to a 25-17 win, to even the match at 1-1.

In set three, the early going was again a sea saw battle with both teams taking their turn with the lead, then with the score knotted at 9-9, a SCU attack error sparked a 5-0 San Diego run that was capped on a SCU attack error to give USD a 14-9 lead. San Diego would go on to build their lead up to six at 17-11 on a Troost kill off a set from Nyrop. But the Broncos would then use a 5-1 run to pull back to within two at 18-16, forcing the Toreros into a timeout. After the timeout, San Diego would go on a 4-1 run to regain some breathing room at 22-17 and the Toreros never looked back as they claimed set three 25-22.

In the fourth and final set, the Broncos and Toreros were engaged in a close knit battle. Each team had its turn with the lead, but San Diego led most of the match, but not by more than four. After the Broncos came back and tied things up at 22-22, a DeGroot kill, an SCU attack error and a DeGroot kill sealed up the win for the Toreros.

San Diego will return to action on Saturday as they head to Moraga, Calif. To take on the Gaels of Saint Mary's College in a 1 p.m. WCC match.