SPOKANE, Wash.  — Santa Clara volleyball got out to a 2-1 lead and overcame a seven-point deficit in the fourth set to defeat Gonzaga 25-12, 17-25, 25-15, 25-23 Thursday night at the Martin Centre. The Broncos won for the eighth time in their last nine matches away from home in the West Coast Conference contest. 

Sabrina Clayton led all players with 17 kills and Nikki Hess added 15. Kirsten Mead tallied 46 assists and had 16 digs for the Broncos (18-5, 9-2 WCC), who are 9-1 in their last 10 matches. 

The Broncos fought their way back into the fourth set after trailing the Bulldogs (13-10, 4-6) 13-6. Santa Clara pulled within one point of Gonzaga three times, and tied the set at 22 on Clayton's ace. 

After a Gonzaga timeout, the Broncos fell behind 23-22 and won the last three points of the match on the strength of kills by Clayton and Hess. Clayton, the WCC leader in aces per set, had three aces and hit .341 for the match.

Santa Clara broke open a 9-9 first set with a 7-0 run that included a pair of blocks by Lacey Maas and Anna McCreadie. Maas posted a match-high eight total blocks and McCreadie added seven in the victory. The Broncos won 16 of the last 19 points to run away with the first stanza.

Following the break, Santa Clara went in front 10-5 on a combined block from Mead and Cunningham in the third set. The Broncos led by at least four the rest of the way to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Danielle Rottman led the Broncos defensively with 17 kills on the night.

Santa Clara continues its Northwest road trip with a Halloween day matchup Saturday at noon against Portland.