Sept. 20, 2012
Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Three Toreros recorded double-digit kills to help propel the 18th-ranked University of San Diego women's volleyball team to a thrilling 3-1 victory over the University of San Francisco in the West Coast Conference opener for both teams Thursday evening.
With the 33-35, 25-21, 25-20, 22-25 win, the Toreros improve to 9-2 overall, move to 1-0 in the WCC and run their winning streak to six matches. With the loss, the Dons fall to 9-5 overall and 0-1 in the WCC.
Both Carrie Baird and Katie Hoekman led the team with 14 kills a piece, as Hoekman hit for a .423 clip, and Baird racked up seven digs. Not far behind was both Sandra Lozic and Chloe Ferrari with 13 kills apiece, and Rachel Alvey recorded 49 assists and had 13 digs to post a double-double. Kandiss Anderson racked up 19 digs, while C'era Oliveira recorded 14 digs. As a team, USD hit .228.
In the first set, the early going was a nip and tuck kind of affair with both teams taking their turn with the lead and neither team having a lead bigger than one. Then with the set knotted at 7-7, a Hoekman kill ignited a 4-0 Torero run, forcing the Dons into a timeout. Out of the break, USD slowly began to pull ahead and took a five-point lead at 19-14, to again force USF into a timeout. The Dons responded with a 9-4 run to knot things up at 23-all. Then both teams began to trade point-for-point, and each team had its turn with set-point. Finally USF was able to end the craziness with a 35-33 win.
In the second set, it was again close in the early going, then with the Dons leading 17-14, a Shelby Staab kill ignited a 5-2 San Diego run, that forced the Dons into a time-out. Out of the break, back-to-back Baird kills gave USD the next two points, and USD would eventually take a 23-20 lead on a Alaysia Brown kill, forcing San Francisco into a timeout. USD never looked back as they they cruised their way to a 25-21 win to even the match at one set apiece.
In the third set, like the first two, things were close throughout the early going. Then with the score knotted at 14-14, back-to-back Ferrari kills and a USF attack error gave USD some breathing room and a 17-14 lead, which forced USF into a timeout. USF would then managed to pull back to within one at 20-19, but that is as close as they would get, as USD went on to close out the frame on a 5-1 run to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
In the fourth and final set, it was much like the rest of the match , close. Both teams had their turn with the lead, and neither team had a lead bigger than two. Then with the score knotted at 13-all, a Lozic kill sparked a 4-1 San Diego run, which forced the Dons into a timeout. It proved to be an effective timeout, as USF stormed back on a 6-2 run, grabbing a 20-19 lead and forcing the Toreros into a timeout. USD then dug in and managed to outscore the Dons 6-2 down the stretch to claim the match with a 25-22 win.
USD will return to action on Saturday, as they head to the Bay Area to take on Santa Clara in a 1 p.m. WCC match.
