Oct. 26, 2011

Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The University of San Diego women's volleyball team drops a 3-2 decision to Saint Mary's College in their 2011 ESPNU debut Wednesday evening inside the Jenny Craig Pavilion.

With the 25-17, 25-27, 22-25, 25-21, 10-15 loss, the Toreros fall to 22-3 overall, 7-3 in the WCC. With the win, the Gaels improve to 11-12 overall and 5-6 in conference play.

Sophomore middle hitter Katie Hoekman led the Toreros with 15 kills on 24 swings to hit for a .583 clip, while recording seven blocks on the night. Freshman outside hitter Sandra Lozic added a double-double with 14 kills and 14 digs, while junior outside hitter Amber Tatsch tallied 13 kills to round out the Torero offensive attack. Sophomore setter Rachel Alvey recorded 38 assists and junior libero Kandiss Anderson record 17 digs on the night, as a team USD hit .287.

In the first set, there was a back and forth battle from both sides with each team trading point-for-point. With junior Amber Tatsch serving and the set tied at 10-10, a SMC attack error ignited an 11-3 Torero run. After an SMC kill stopped the run, USD then traded point-for-point with SMC before they recorded a 25-17 win.

In the second set, the Toreros came out with the early momentum as they jumped out to 5-1 lead before the Gaels offensive attack picked up. The Toreros held off the Gaels until SMC eventually tied it up at 17-17 with a service ace from Mileva Popovic. The Gaels and Toreros remained close, USD would eventually go on to take set point at 21-22 on an Alvey kill. The Gaels then stormed back and outscored USD 5-1 to take the set, 27-25.

Early in the third set it was close until SMC opened up a six point lead at 13-7 forcing San Diego into a time-out. A Chloe Ferrari kill ignited a 5-1 Torero run that was capped on a SMC attack error to pull the Toreros within one at 14-13. The Gaels responded with a 6-2 run to take back a five-point lead at 20-15. San Diego then battled back to pull within one at 21-20, which forced the Gaels into a timeout. A Hoekman kill then evened the score at 21-all, but the Gaels closed out the frame on a 4-1 run to take it to a 2-1 lead in the match.

In the fourth set, the Gaels continued the momentum to a 7-4 score, until two SMC errors allowed for the Toreros to bring it back to 7-7. USD then put together a 6-2 run to give them some breathing room and a 13-9 lead. The Gaels got back to within one at 13-12, but that is as close as they would get as a Lozic kill sparked a 7-4 Torero run to give USD a 20-16 lead. The Toreros never looked back as they forced a fifth and final set with a 25-21 win.

In the fifth and final set, the Gaels broke out of the gate with a 6-2 run before a Ferrari block jump started a 5-2 run, which pulled the Toreros within one at 8-7. USD remained within a couple of points until the Gaels opened up a 13-9 lead, and Saint Mary's never looked back as they went on to claim the victory to a 15-10 win.

The Toreros will look to bounce back in a home match-up against the Dons of San Francisco this Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.