Oct. 18, 2008
Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Behind a 15-kill performance from both junior outside hitter Amy Mahinalani DeGroot and sophomore middle hitter Ashton Basch, the 20th-ranked University of San Diego women's volleyball team picked up a 3-1 (25-18, 25-16, 22-25, 25-16) win over Saint Mary' College in a West Coast Conference match Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Toreros improve to 14-3 overall and move to 4-1 in the WCC. With the loss, the Gaels fall to 13-6 overall and 3-3 in the WCC.
For the second consecutive match, DeGroot recorded a double-double as she had 15 kills to go along with 12 digs. Basch recorded her 15 kills on 31 attempts to hit for a .290 clip. Sophomore outside hitter Colleen Carlson recorded a career-high eight kills in only her second match of the season. Senior setter Jessica Nyrop recorded a match-best 44 assists and had a match-best 17 digs.
In the first set, the Gaels jumped out to an early 3-1 lead, but a Carlson kill off a set from Nyrop sparked a 7-3 San Diego run that was capped off on a SMC attack error to give USD a 8-6 lead. The two teams then sea sawed back and forth a bit, and with the score knotted at 11-11, a SMC attack error ignited a 7-2 USD run that was capped on a DeGroot kill of a set from Nyrop to give USD a 18-13 lead. The Toreros never looked back as they went on to claim the first set 25-18.
In the second set, the Gaels again kept things close in the early going, then with the score knotted at 6-6, a SMC attack error sparked a 8-2 Torero run that was capped on a SMC attack error to give USD all the momentum and a comfortable 14-8 lead. The Gaels never got any closer that four the remainder of the set ,as San Diego claimed a 25-16 win to go up two sets to none.
In the third set, SMC was able to avoid the sweep buy claiming a 25-22 win. Right from the get-go, both teams were sea sawing back and forth a bit with both teams taking their turn with the lead and neither team having a lead bigger than three. With the score knotted at 14-14, the Gaels went on a 5-0 run to give them some breathing room and a 19-14 advantage. USD would then go on a 7-2 run that was sparked on a DeGroot kill and capped on a SMC attack error to pull within one at 23-22, but the Gaels were able to close out the set with a 2-1 run.
In the fourth and final set, a Torey Ellick kill off a set from Breanne Ogden sparked a 7-1 San Diego run to open the set. The Toreros would eventually build their lead up to as many as 10 at 20-10 and never looked back as they won the set and match with a 25-16 win.
The Toreros will return to action on Thursday as they return home after two weeks on the road to host No. 15 Pepperdine University in a 7 p.m. WCC match inside the friendly confines of the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
