SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Behind an outstanding overall performance that featured four players tallying double figure kills and a .379 hitting percentage as a team, Santa Clara volleyball opened the 2024 campaign with a bang, taking down Villanova, 3-1, in the opening match of the 2024 Catholic Challenge.
Oren Abutbul and newcomer
Alayna Crabtree combined for 26 kills in the winning effort.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Broncos (1-0) had a slow start in the opening set, falling behind 15-10 before mounting a comeback to erase the deficit at 18-all. Villanova (0-1) regained a two point advantage and maintained the lead for the rest of the set to win it at 25-23.
- Santa Clara turned up the heat for the remainder of the match, stifling the Wildcats' offense and not allowing more than 18 points in any of the remaining three sets.
- The Broncos cruised to a 25-16 win in set two, 25-18 in set three and clinched the match with a dominating 25-14 victory in the fourth and final set.
- Santa Clara logged 64 kills on 37.9 percent hitting while allowing just 22.5 percent defensively.
NOTABLE NUMBERS:
- The Broncos have now won their season-opening game for the third-consecutive season and improved to 2-1 all-time against Villanova.
- Abutbul hit .393 with 13 kills while Crabtree, a graduate transfer from Boston College, tied her with 13 kills and added eight digs to flirt with a double-double.
- Cate Shanahan (12) and Grace Flanagan (10) also logged double-figure kills.
- Nive Tuileta logged a team-best 28 assists while freshman Macy Hinshaw, making her collegiate debut, had 22 assists and a team high-tying nine digs.
POSTGAME INTERVIEWS:
NEXT UP:
The Broncos will take on Notre Dame in the final match of the Catholic Challenge at 7 p.m. PT tomorrow.
