SAN FRANCISCO - The Santa Clara women's volleyball team defeated the USF Dons 3-1 on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at The Sobrato Center in San Francisco. The Broncos led after the first set, and after dropping the second set, won the final two sets to take the game 3-1. The Broncos were led by Elena Radeff, who had a season high 18 kills, and Macy Hinshaw who recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 24 assists and 14 digs.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• USF (14-13, 7-8) scored the first six points of the match, but Santa Clara (9-16, 5-11) answered, scoring 10 points in a row capped off by an Elena Radeff kill to take a 15-12 lead. Another kill from Radeff made it 19-15, but USF scored four points in a row to tie the match at 19. A block by Oren Abutbul extended the Broncos lead to 23-20, and two straight points gave the Broncos the first set victory 25-22.
• USF went up 8-5 to start the second set, but the Broncos scored three in a row to tie it at 13. The Dons went on a five point run to take a 19-14 lead, but the Broncos rallied again, scoring three in a row after an ace by Nive Tuileta to cut the lead to 19-17, forcing a USF timeout. The Broncos scored two straight to tie it at 21, but USF scored the final four points of the set to even the match 1-1.
• Three straight Bronco points gave them a 4-1 lead to open the third set after another kill by Radeff. Another three point spurt made it 8-3 Broncos, and later 13-6. A kill from Abutbul put the Broncos up 19-14, and three straight Bronco points put them ahead 24-16. However, USF scored five in a row to cut it to 24-21, but Santa Clara prevailed with a kill from Radeff, taking the third set 25-21.
• The Dons went up 8-5 to start set four, but a kill from Abutbul tied it at 9. Four straight for the Broncos gave them a 16-15 lead, and another four point rally put them up 23-20 after an ace from Tia Kapihe. The Dons cut it to 23-22, but back-to-back kills from Oren Abutbul gave the Broncos the 25-22 win, and the 3-1 match victory.

NOTABLE NUMBERS:

• Elena Radeff led the Broncos for the fourth straight game with a season high 18 kills.
• Oren Abutbul added 13 kills, her 10th game of the season in double figures.
• Macy Hinshaw had her seventh double-double of the season with 24 assists and 14 digs.

 
UP NEXT:
The Broncos will return home to the Leavey Center on Saturday at 1 p.m. for a matchup with Saint Mary's.