Nov. 6, 2004
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The 20th-ranked Santa Clara University volleyball team dropped its first home match of the season in a four-game loss to 21st-ranked San Diego tonight in West Coast Conference action. The Broncos are now 8-1 at the Leavey Center with the 30-26, 20-30, 30-22, 30-17 loss. Their overall record moves to 16-5, while the WCC mark is now 7-3. The Toreros improve to 17-4 overall, 10-0 in league play.
Kim McGiven led all Bronco attackers for the fourth straight match, with 17 kills tonight. Toni Muratore added 16 and her sister, Annalisa Muratore, came off the bench to add 10 after missing the previous two contests. Libero Caroline Walters notched 24 digs to lead the team's defensive efforts.
San Diego was led by Devon Forster's 25 kills. Emily Haas added 17 kills, a .483 hitting percentage, and eight blocks. Setter Lindsey Sherburne posted a double-double, chipping in 60 assists and 11 digs. Libero Jackie Bernardin added a match-high 26 digs.
In the opening game, Santa Clara called a time out at 10-15 and was able to pull within 17-18 on an Anna Cmaylo kill. San Diego rallied with a 9-0 run to take control of the frame, including three blocks in four plays by Haas. Santa Clara held off five game points, but the Toreros came out of a time out and their defense scored on the side out with the team's sixth block of the frame.
Game two was close early on, and the Broncos took their first lead of the night on a McGiven kill, to earn an 8-7 edge. Multiple Torero miscues pushed the Bronco advantage to 12-7 before the visitors rallied to pull within 12-11. Again, Santa Clara responded, and went on a 6-0 run to force San Diego's second time out. The Muratores combined for a block to earn game point and on the next play, the home squad went into intermission with a tied match, after hitting .412 in the frame.
Forster notched eight kills in game three to take control for the Toreros. San Diego hit .472 as a team in game four to close out the match and remain undefeated in league play.
Santa Clara will play its final two home matches of the regular season next weekend, hosting 13th-ranked Saint Mary's and San Francisco at the Leavey Center, next Friday and Saturday, respectively. First serve for both contests is set for 7 p.m.
