Playing the No. 8 team in the country tough all night wasn't enough as the Bronco volleyball team fell in four to No. 8 San Diego. Set scores were 26-24, 25-22, 18-25 and 25-12. Santa Clara is 8-14 and 3-10 in the WCC. San Diego is 20-3 and 12-2 in the WCC.
"We had our chances. We played really well tonight," said Bronco head coach Jon Wallace. "Our team is committed to fighting and we will bring the same energy on Saturday against BYU."
"I liked the fight from Alyssa Anderson and Taylor Milton," added Wallace. "Haley Cameron played really well."
Santa Clara hit .121 with 49 kills (28 e, 174 att.). The Broncos collected 71 digs, 41 assists, four service aces, five service errors and eight team blocks. San Diego hit .206 with 56 kills (23 e, 160 att.). San Diego collected 84 digs, 53 assists, three service aces, four service errors and 14 team blocks.
Two-time WCC Player of the Month Chloe Ferrari collected 15 kills, hitting .462. Alaysia Brown scored 13 kills. Jianna Bonomi had 27 assists and 18 digs. Rachel Alvey had 19 assists. Sandra Lozic, Katie Hoekman and Taylor Hollins had nine kills each.
The match started with a long rally and ended on a ball handling error by Bonomi. After a USD sideout, Anderson dumped the ball and USD was called in the net to put SCU up 3-1. USD scored three quick points before a kill by Cameron down the line tied it up 4-4. Two straight Hoekman attack errors and a team block by Milton and Cameron gave SCU a 7-4 lead. Cameron scored in the back row and Milton crushed it in the donut as SCU went ahead 9-5. Hess wacked it down in the middle for a sideout and then she scored a kill on a long rally. USD scored five of the next six. The Broncos scored a couple and then the teams traded points. Cameron's kill on an overpass made it 16-14. Milton's third kill of the set brought the USD coaching staff out for a timeout. A team block by Taylor and Milton after a long rally made it 18-14 Broncos. USD scored two of the next three with SCU leading 19-16. Hoekman swatted it down for a kill on the overpass, but Safia Lavin served it way out. Anders crushed it for the kill on another USD overpass. Ferrari and Anders matched each other's kills, 22-19 Broncos. USD scored a couple and then SCU called for time. USD scored two straight on blocks. Timeout Broncos, now down 23-22. Bonomi served it out to tie it up 23-23. Hess served up an ace and the Toreros whistled for their second timeout. Ferrari's kill cross court tied it up again, 24-24. Two straight attack errors by Clayton ended the set with USD winning 26-24.
To start the third set two were tied at 2 and 3. Back-to-back kills by Anders and a team block by Anders and Anderson made it 6-3 Broncos. Rachel Alvey was whistled for a ball handling error, but USD rallied to score two points before another Anders kill for the sideout. Hess smacked it for an ace and then Hollins crushed it out of bounds, 10-5 SCU. Timeout USD. The Toreros' scored two straight before an attack error by Lozic gave SCU the ball up 11-7. USD laced together two, but Anderson's dump was money. Cameron skied for a kill in the middle, 13-9 SCU. Ferrari and Cameron matched each other's kills in the back row and then Lozic attempted to fly in for a kill, but smacked it low in the net, 15-11 SCU. A dominating cross court kill by Milton was followed by two more by her. USD called for time, down 18-12. After a USD sideout, Alvey was whistled for a double contact and kills by Anders and Hess made it 21-13 SCU. USD scored three of the next four before C'era Oliveira was called for an attack error. USD scored another point. Milton tipped it over Lozic for a kill to give SCU set point. Clayton's kill on the slide gave SCU set three 25-18.
USD started the fourth set on a 5-1 run. Timeout Broncos. USD scored two more times out of the timeout. Milton's kill stopped the run, 8-3 USD. USD scored four of the next five and then Clayton smacked it down the line for a kill. Hoekman's kill started another USD rally – this one three straight. Cameron and Ferrari traded kills, 16-6 USD. After another Bronco attack error, SCU called for time. SCU scored three straight including two attack errors by Lozic, 17-9 USD. Cameron tapped the ball down in the middle, but USD scored a kill for a sideout. USD scored five of the next six to serve for match point. Anders kill on the slide held it off. San Diego won the set on a kill by Hollins, 25-12.
