Oct. 18, 2007
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara volleyball team earned its fifth conference win of the season Thursday night with a 3-1 victory over Pepperdine at the Leavey Center. The match, which was aired on ESPNU, was decided by individual game scores of 28-30, 30-24, 30-23 and 30-28. With the victory, Santa Clara improved to 13-9 overall and 5-1 in West Coast Conference play, while Pepperdine is now 12-6 on the season and 4-2 in league action.
"Playing steady was an integral part of winning tonight's game," said head coach Jon Wallace. "I really liked what I saw in our scouting report and we stayed true to that. Game one was tough, but we made the adjustments needed to come out with the win."
Freshman Krista Kelley became the first Bronco on the 2007 squad to enter the 20-20 club this season as she registered match highs with 27 kills and 21 digs. Both are also season-bests for the Sandy, Utah, native. Junior Brittany Lowe also registered a double-double, her ninth of the season, with 23 kills and 15 digs. Senior libero Caroline Walters collected 14 digs and two service aces, while junior Lauryn Dowd tallied a match-high three service aces.
In the first game, the Broncos and Waves kept the score close at the start, until a kill from Casie Chamberlain gave Pepperdine a one point edge. The Waves then produced a 6-0 run on points from Chamberlain, Kristen Seaton and Kayla Walker to make the score, 17-10. Santa Clara, after being forced to call a timeout, rebounded to bring the score within one, 19-18, on a solo block from setter Crystal Matich. The Broncos then fought to tie the score, 27-27, on a Waves attacking error. However, Pepperdine regained control and won the first game, 30-28.
The Broncos stormed through the second game to a 30-24 victory behind solid efforts from Lowe, Kelley and Lindsy Evans. Santa Clara jumped to a 6-1 start on points solely from Lowe and Pepperdine errors. The Waves came within two points, 8-6, on a service ace by Kiah Fiers, but that was the closest they would get to the Broncos in the entire second game. SCU went on to earn a six-point lead, 15-9, on a kill from Evans. Later, Evans stuck again to give Santa Clara an eight-point lead, 23-15. A high-powered attack from Nichole Clark made the score, 29-24, and a kill from Kelley ended game two, 30-24, for SCU.
Pepperdine's Fiers scored the first point of game three, but Kelley quickly tied the score. The two teams then fought point-for-point until Clark posted a solo block to give the Broncos the advantage. SCU pushed to a five-point lead, 16-11, on back-to-back service aces from Dowd. The Broncos continued to control the scoreboard on successful attacks from Kelley, Clark and Dowd, and a kill from Lowe finished the third game, 30-23.
Santa Clara was forced to rally back in the fourth game to garner the 30-28 triumph. The Waves took early control of the fourth game with a 3-1 lead, but a service ace from Dowd knotted the score, 3-3. Pepperdine responded fast with a kill from Chamberlain and continued to widen the gap as it pushed the score, 10-5. Santa Clara fought hard to tie the game again with powerful attacks from Kelley and Clark, but Pepperdine still held a slight edge. Back-to-back kills from Kelley brought the Broncos within three, 23-20, and a two straight kills from Lowe brought SCU within one, 26-25. Santa Clara eventually tied the score, 27-27, on a solid play by Kelly and a service ace from Lowe put the Broncos up by one, 28-27. The fourth game was ended on a Waves error.
The Broncos return to action on Saturday, Oct. 20 against the Lions of Loyola Marymount. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m., at the Leavey Center. Santa Clara will hold the annual "Dig for the Cure" fundraiser to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation during Saturday's game. Fans that wish to pledge or donate to the nationwide event can download a pledge form on the Bronco volleyball homepage at www.SantaClaraBroncos.com.
