No. 24 Volleyball Wins UC Irvine/Marriott Sunset Showcase

No. 24 Volleyball Wins UC Irvine/Marriott Sunset Showcase

Aug. 31, 2002

Box Score

IRVINE, Calif. - The Santa Clara University women's volleyball team collected its third straight win to open the 2002 season, downing UC Irvine by a score of 3-0 to capture the Mariott Sunset Showcase in Irvine, Calif. Saturday evening.

The 24th-ranked Broncos defeated the host institution by scores of 30-25, 31-29 and 30-28, making them a perfect 3-0 to open the season. Becky Potter led the way with 17 kills on the evening en route to tournament MVP honors. She finished the weekend with 40 kills.

Cassie Perret chipped in 10 kills in the championship game for her second-straight game in double-digit kills, while Megan Johnston tied a career-high with her 10 kills on the night to go along with her .429 hitting percentage.

Kelli Sousa recorded 49 more assists on the night, pushing her career total 2,022 in only 60 matches in a Bronco uniform. Sousa's 131 assists over the weekend were good enough to garner her all-tournament honors, while Perret also took home some all-tournament hardware after posting 30 kills in her first weekend of collegiate volleyball.

"The team played extremely well tonight," said head coach Jon Wallace. "When the game got tight tonight we didn't lose our composure and to come away with a win in this tight of a game early on is very big for us."

Santa Clara begins the year 3-0 for only the fifth time 39-year history of the program, and the second time under Wallace who is in his fourth season.

The Broncos will return to action next weekend in the NAU Fiesta Bowl Classic in Flagstaff, Ariz. They will face Eastern Illinois to open the tournament Friday evening, before taking on Idaho and Northern Arizona on Saturday.