Nov. 17, 2000
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - With tonight's defeat of 22nd-ranked Loyola Marymount, the 15th-ranked Santa Clara volleyball team will play for the West Coast Conference title tomorrow night against Pepperdine.
The Broncos defeated LMU 16-18, 15-7, 15-12, 15-7 to improve to 25-3 on the season, 12-1 in league action. The Lions fall to 19-8 overall, 9-4 in the WCC. With two matches left on the schedule, Santa Clara is only one victory away from matching the program's best mark for wins in a season, set by the 1991 squad.
Pepperdine (23-5, 12-1 WCC) defeated San Francisco tonight in three straight games to set up the showdown for the league title and the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Senior Bronco Ynez Carrasco led a quartet of hitters to reach double figures, posting 25 on the night. Senior Amy Kohl added 17, followed by senior Brook Terhune's 16 kills. Junior Jami Bari added 10. Loyola's Sarah McFarland, the nation's kill leader, led all attackers in the match with 39 kills.
The match opened with an extended first game as both teams hit over .300. Santa Clara had five game points while leading 14-12, but couldn't convert the win. Leading 15-14, the Broncos saw a sixth game point, but LMU was able to take the frame with a service ace by Jaimee Brubacher.
The Lions took an early 1-0 lead to open the second game, but the match stayed tight through a 5-5 tie. Three consecutive kills by Carrasco gave the Broncos a lead they kept the rest of the night. Leading 12-7, another trio of kills by Carrasco gave SCU the game. She finished the frame with no errors on 17 attacks for a .529 hitting percentage. Seven of LMU's 19 service errors on the night occurred in this game, hindering the Lions.
LMU responded after the break to take a 5-1 lead before the Broncos called a time out early in the third game. Loyola extended the lead to 7-1 before SCU climbed back to within 11-9 with consecutive blocks by Terhune and a service ace by senior Annika Dell. Dell, Terhune and Carrasco then combined for a triple block that stuffed McFarland to even the game at 11 points apiece. Consecutive kills by Bari closed out the frame. Terhune dominated at the net in this game, posting six kills and five blocks.
The fourth game saw many more great plays as both teams battled out the match. Carrasco recorded a left-handed kill to give the Broncos a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish. Down 9-2, LMU returned from a time out to score four straight points, but SCU responded with quick kills by Terhune. A Carrasco service ace gave the Broncos match point. A hitting error on McFarland's 79th swing of the night gave SCU the victory.
Terhune finished with a career-high 10 blocks (3 BS, 7 BA), as the Broncos outblocked LMU 19-10. Dell and Kohl posted six each and Carrasco added five to the defensive efforts. Additionally, Carrasco, sophomore Chrissy Hirsch, Bari and junior Merrin Thompson all reached double figures in digs. Senior setter Roz Pelayo registered 65 assists.
The Broncos host their final conference and home match of the season tomorrow night against the 12th-ranked Waves. The match is slated to begin at 7 p.m. at the Pat Malley Center. Prior to the start of the match, Santa Clara will honor the team's five seniors, who will be playing their last home match of their collegiate careers.
-- www.SantaClaraBroncos.com --
No. 15 Santa Clara def. No. 22 Loyola Marymount 16-18, 15-7, 15-12, 15-7
