SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara volleyball delivered its second sweep in as many matches when it defeated Rutgers 25-21, 25-13, 25-19 Saturday morning in the Leavey Center. The Broncos built up at least an eight-point lead in all three sets to improve to 2-0 on the young season.

Santa Clara led the entire way in the first two sets and trailed for only three points of the final set. The Broncos never faced a deficit greater than one point.

Santa Clara had five different players combine for five kills and an ace on its way to an early 6-2 lead. Later in the opening set, Nikki Hess dug out a short serve from Rutgers' Ali Schroeter, and Kirsten Mead made a bump pass while falling away from the net to set up Natasha Calkins for a kill that made the score 13-7 Broncos.

The Broncos (2-0) took their biggest lead of the first set at 18-10 and matched the eight-point advantage on a Mead flip at the net to make the score 20-12. After the Scarlet Knights (0-2) cut the deficit to three points at 24-21, Hess finished off the set with a kill — she was one of five Broncos to post multiple kills in the first set.

Jensen Cunningham tallied five kills and Hess added six more as the Broncos hit .520 in the second set and rolled to a 25-13 win. Danielle Rottman led the Santa Clara defense with eight digs in the set as the Broncos held the Scarlet Knights to a .100 hitting percentage (9-for-30, six errors). Cunningham converted on five of her seven kill attempts in the second frame and split the back line defense with a spike to put the Broncos ahead 2-0 heading into the break.

In the final set, Santa Clara fell behind 4-3 and used kills from Hess and Mead to go on a 6-0 run and take a 9-4 lead. The Broncos limited the Scarlet Knights to a .026 hitting percentage in the third set, which they went on to win 25-19 and claim the match. 

Hess led the Broncos with 14 kills, Mead added 34 assists, Cunningham had a pair of blocks and Rottman tallied 18 digs. Rutgers' Meme Fletcher recorded 12 kills, Anna Sudbury led the team with 17 assists, Mikaela Matthews added six blocks and Schroeter notched 12 digs.

The Broncos round out the Santa Clara Tournament with a 7 p.m. matchup Saturday night against UC Riverside in the Leavey Center. 

MATCH NOTES: First serve was at 11:05 a.m. … time of match was 1:30 ... attendance was 182.