SAN DIEGO — The Santa Clara University women's volleyball team came on strong late Saturday, winning set three and nearly forcing a fifth set before San Diego escaped with a narrow, 3-1 (25-19, 25-19, 14-25, 26-24), West Coast Conference victory at Jenny Craig Pavilion.
Cate Shanahan led Santa Clara (9-14, 5-6 WCC) with 22 kills and 16 digs while hitting .375 and adding three service aces. Her 16 digs were a season high, one short of her career high.
Macy Hinshaw finished with 46 assists, nine digs and one service ace. Hinshaw has surpassed the 1,000 assists mark on the season and now has 1,009 in 2026.
Grace Flanagan recorded a team-high six total blocks and added five kills. The San Diego area native has recorded at least six total blocks in two consecutive matches.
Morgan Hayes tallied 12 kills on a .250 hitting percentage with five total blocks. The Broncos' defense has recorded at least 10 blocks in two consecutive matches.
The Broncos worked back from an 11-6 deficit in the first set with kills from
Selin Aslayan, Hayes and Shanahan before a Shanahan-
Allison Dzieciuch block made it 13-11. Santa Clara stayed within one at 17-16 on a Shanahan kill, but San Diego (13-8, 8-3 WCC) scored the next four points and closed out the set 25-19.
Santa Clara answered another 11-6 deficit in the second set with kills from Flanagan and Shanahan, with Shanahan adding consecutive points to bring the set to 11-9. The Broncos made another push later, getting kills from Dzieciuch, Aslayan and Shanahan and a block by Aslayan and Flanagan to move within 19-17. The Toreros responded from there and closed out the set 25-19.
Santa Clara dominated the third set, moving from a 3-3 tie to a 12-4 lead behind two Shanahan kills during
Ashlynn Reilly's service turn and three Shanahan service aces in a four-point service run. The Broncos closed the set with consecutive Aslayan kills to take it 25-14.
The fourth set was decided by literally a fingernail. Santa Clara looked to have broken a 23-23 tie and earned the chance to serve set point with a 24-23 advantage after San Diego had sent an attack too long and out of bounds. But an official review flipped the point to San Diego, saying the ball barely knicked a Broncos defender's finger, and instead giving the Toreros match point at 24-23. Aslayan tied it back up at 24-24 with a powerful kill, but San Diego scored the final two points to take the set, 26-24, and the match, 3-1. Earlier in the late exchange, Shanahan tied the set at 20-20, and Dzieciuch kills put Santa Clara ahead 22-21 and 23-22.
Emma Brewer had 19 kills and eight digs for San Diego. Nemo Beach recorded 12 kills, four digs and three total blocks. Kylie Munday finished with 35 assists, 12 digs and five kills. Lauren Lynch had 21 digs and 10 assists.
The Broncos return home for a three-match home stand starting Thursday when it hosts Seattle. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.
