SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Santa Clara women's volleyball never really got their feet under them in a  lopsided affair that saw them fall to a talented Villanova team 3-0 on Saturday at the Purcell Pavilion. They saw flashes of the previous night's team that took a gritty Notre Dame team to five sets, but were unable to gain any momentum throughout the match. Cate Shanahan again led the team with 12 kills, while three other Broncos had seven kills or more.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Villanova (1-0) took an early 10-6 lead to open set one, and later 22-13 after four straight points. The Broncos battled back with a pair of kills from Morgan Hayes and a service ace from Macy Hinshaw to cut the lead to 23-19, but it was too late as Villanova took set one, 25-19.
• Santa Clara (0-2) scored four straight points to take a 10-4 lead to open set two. Villanova continued chipping away at the lead, cutting it to 12-9, and later 15-14 after a three point rally. The Broncos answered back with a three point rally capped by a Cate Shanahan kill to take an 18-14 lead. An ace from Tia Kapihe made it 21-18, but Villanova kept chipping away, scoring three points in a row to take the set 26-24.
• Set three was deadlocked until Villanova pulled ahead again, this time scoring five-out-of-six points to take a 13-8 lead. Three more points for the Wildcats made it 21-13, and another kill by Shanahan cut the lead to 24-16, but Villanova ended the set, 25-16, taking the match 3-0.

NOTABLE NUMBERS:

• Cate Shanahan had her sixth career game in double figures, leading the team with 12 kills, earning a spot on the Catholic Challenge All-Tournament Team.
• Macy Hinshaw tied her previous career high with 36 assists, four less than her new career high set last night over Notre Dame.
• Five Broncos finished with five or more digs, led by Shanahan with seven.
• The Broncos fall to 2-2 all time against the Wildcats.

UP NEXT:
The Broncos will host Cal Baptist for their home opener on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 6pm. Tickets can be purchased here.