SPOKANE, Wash. – Santa Clara put up a fight at 15th ranked Gonzaga Saturday afternoon but ultimately fell 53-46.

The Broncos (9-16, 3-11 WCC) defense managed to hold the Bulldogs (25-2, 14-1 WCC) to a season low in points and marks of 34.4-percent from the field and 16.7-percent from downtown but couldn't capitalize. Santa Clara shot just 37.0-percent from the floor and 29.4-percent from beyond the arc.

Santa Clara scored to open the fourth quarter and got within 41-35 but Gonzaga was able to stretch the lead back out to double figures later in the period. Tia Hay's 3-pointer once again got the Broncos deficit down to single digits at 51-44 with 2:41 to go but both teams would make just one more basket each the rest of the way.

Hay led the all players with 13 points and was 5 of 7 shooting and 3 of 4 from 3-point land while also adding four assists and two steals. Merle Wiehl added 10 and four rebounds with Lauren Yearwood picking up five blocks to go along with seven points.

Up just four nearing the end of the second quarter, Gonzaga responded by closing the half on a 9-2 run that got the Zags up 30-19 at the break.

Jenn Wirth scored a team high 11 and also grabbed 11 boards for the double-double. Kayleigh Truoung scored nine but committed six turnovers. Five other Gonzaga players scored at least five points.

Gonzaga started the game on a 6-0 run, but Santa Clara came right back with six in a row of its own behind buckets from three different players. The Bulldogs would score next and hold the lead the rest of the way.

The closest Santa Clara got was within four midway through the second period when Wiehl hit two from the charity stripe and Ashlyn Herlihy's 3-pointer at the 4:28 mark cut the deficit down to 21-17.

NOTES

• Santa Clara is now 29-42 all-time against Gonzaga.
• Naomi Jimenez made her sixth consecutive start.
• With five blocks, Lauren Yearwood now has 113 in her Santa Clara career, tying her for third all-time with Lindsey Leon (2010-13). Morgan McGwire (2014-18) is in second place with 138.

UP NEXT
The Broncos return home and take on San Diego Thursday at 7 p.m.

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