SANTA CLARA, Calif. — It really couldn't have been any closer.
Saturday's final match score read as a 3-0 sweep, but it very well could have gone the complete opposite way. Visiting Saint Mary's escaped Leavey Center with a narrow, 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-22) West Coast Conference victory, winning three sets by only a combined seven points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Pick a set, any of them, and you'll find a litany of tie scores and lead changes in each one. The largest lead either team had at any time was four points – Santa Clara (9-8, 1-4 WCC) had one to start the first set and Saint Mary's (10-7, 2-3 WCC) had one late in the second set. Both of those leads were met immediately by multi-point runs from the other team, bringing the score back to a one- or two-point spread.
- The Broncos had control of every set at some point, and each time the Gaels were able to figure out a way to come back and hold on. SCU led 20-18 in the first, but a 4-0 spurt by SMC powered by three kills put it ahead, 22-20. Santa Clara tied the score at 22-22 and 23-23, but Saint Mary's scored the last two points to earn a 25-23 opening-set win.
- It happened again in the second when Santa Clara led, 17-16, and an 8-3 run by the Gaels put them ahead, 24-20. Santa Clara pushed back, scoring three consecutive points on back-to-back kills from Sophia Tulino and a solo block from Grace Flanagan. But another kill from Abby Castilon, one of her seven in the match, capped another 25-23 set win for SMC.
- Santa Clara led 20-17 in set three and looked to finally have things going its way. Once again, back came the Gaels, this time with a 7-1 run that put them on the verge of a sweep with a 24-21 score. Castilon did it again, sending SMC home with a kill to seal the sweep. The Broncos' only two points in the final 10 of the match came from service errors by the Gaels.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
- 3: Santa Clara was better than Saint Mary's in three statistical categories Saturday – kills (45), assists (43) and digs (42). It was only one behind in aces (6-5) and two behind in total blocks (8-6).
- 7: Nive Tuileta logged her seventh double-double of the season and second in a row Saturday with 38 assists and 14 digs. She also had two blocks and two service aces.
- 14: Elena Radeff has now logged back-to-back double-digit kills performances after never having such a match in her career. She followed Thursday's career-high 17 kills with a match-high 14 Saturday. She hit .333 with those 14 kills while adding two digs and a block.
POST-MATCH QUOTES
NEXT UP
- The Broncos embark on the road again next week, heading down to Southern California to face Pepperdine on Thursday and LMU on Saturday. Fans can find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.
