LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Santa Clara volleyball is off to its best start since 2005 at 6-0 after winning two matches Saturday to claim the Active Ankle Challenge crown. The Broncos defeated Auburn 29-31, 25-16, 25-23, 25-19 in the early match and swept Stony Brook 25-22, 25-20, 25-18 in the nightcap at the KFC Yum! Center.

Santa Clara has started 6-0 for the fourth time in its 54-year history. Jensen Cunningham hit .486 (39 K – 4 E – 72 TA) in three matches and had eight total blocks en route to Tournament MVP honors, while Nikki Hess and Hailey Lindberg landed spots on the All-Tournament Team. Hess had 34 kills and 29 digs. Lindberg hit .408 with 26 kills and a team-high 12 total blocks.

"Today was tough with two matches in one day, especially starting off against a really good Auburn team after beating Louisville at home," head coach Jon Wallace said. "We got off to a bit of a slow start, but the girls found their rhythm and a good into a good state of mind that allowed them to play at a high level. I'm really proud of them for facing adversity and ultimately playing really good volleyball."

SANTA CLARA 3, AUBURN 1

Three players posted season-high efforts as the Broncos defeated the Tigers (2-4) in four sets. Hess had 18 kills, Kirsten Mead totaled 48 assists and Taylor Laugero finished with 32 digs. Laugero's effort tied for the seventh-most digs in a single match in program history; she had at least seven digs in all four sets.

The Broncos built as large as a six-point lead in the first set before the Tigers rallied to tie it up at 21. Santa Clara got on set point at 24-23 and the teams traded points until Auburn won two in a row to win the opening stanza. The Broncos had five set point opportunities, but the Tigers took only their third lead of the set at 30-29 and won the 60-point stanza on the next play.

Santa Clara distanced itself from Auburn with an 8-0 run in the second set to pull in front 17-9. Nikki Hess and Sabrina Clayton had two kills apiece as part of the stretch, which featured an ace from Mary Shepherd. The Hillsborough, Calif. native added another ace, one of Santa Clara's eight for the match, to clinch the second frame.

Jensen Cunningham had six kills in the third set and the Broncos held the Tigers to a .106 hitting percentage in that frame. Santa Clara faced no more than a two-point deficit in the match and never trailed in the second or fourth sets. Hess had six kills and Clayton added five in the last set.

SANTA CLARA 3, STONY BROOK 0 

Santa Clara played a clean match to close out the weekend; the Broncos hit .371 and committed only six attacking errors. Cunningham led the team with 12 kills on 17 attempts and no attacking errors for a .706 hitting percentage. Hailey Lindberg had seven total blocks. Madison Dutra and Katrina Inch made their season debuts while Callie Jones and Ngozi Nwabuzoh played their first collegiate matches.

"Our girls were very fatigued both physically and mentally in the last match, but they really pulled together," Wallace said. "Madison and Ngozi came on and gave us some fresh legs and good spirit that led the team to victory." 

The Broncos fell in an early hole during the opening set, as the Seawolves (1-5) won 10 of the first 14 points. Santa Clara fought its way back in and closed the frame on a 4-0 run, including kills by Hess on the last two points. The Seawolves went in front 16-14 in the second set, and the Broncos closed the Stanza on an 11-4 stretch to lead by two sets at the break.

Nwabuzoh sparked the Broncos with four kills in the third set and Dutra had all of her four blocks in the last two sets. As a team, Santa Clara hit .387 in the last set on the way to its second sweep of the season. The Broncos have won 18 of their 22 sets in 2016.

Tournament MVP, Jensen Cunningham with @JonWallaceSCU #scuvolley pic.twitter.com/z16qRWQql9

— SantaClaraVolleyball (@scuvolleyball) September 3, 2016

UP NEXT

The Broncos head to Berkeley, Calif. for the Cal Classic next week. Santa Clara takes on Grand Canyon on Friday, followed by Saturday contests against West Virginia and tournament host Cal.

NOTES: Santa Clara's 2005 season was the most successful in program history. The Broncos matched a program record with 27 wins and reach the NCAA Tournament Final Four — the deepest postseason run the team has ever made.

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