WATCH | EyeBronco: Volleyball Defeats San Diego, 3-2
Battling all day, Santa Clara defeated No. 30 San Diego on Saturday afternoon in the Leavey Center. It is the first time a West Coast Conference team has swept both BYU and San Diego in a single weekend since BYU joined the league three years ago as SCU beat No. 11 BYU 3-0 on Thursday. Set scores were 20-25, 25-19, 25-27, 25-12 and 15-12.
The Broncos move to 18-7 and 8-4 in the WCC and San Diego is 15-9 and 8-4 in the WCC.
"Today was a great battle," said Bronco head coach Jon Wallace. "We had to have big performances and we did. Taylor catching fire at the end really helped us big in the fourth and fifth set."
Milton had 16 kills, hitting .406 (3 e, 32 att.) with 15 digs and four block assists. "She was terrific. She is a motivated senior," said Wallace.
The Broncos hit .307 with 73 kills (22 e, 166 att.). They collected 71 assists, eight aces, 11 service errors, 64 digs and nine team blocks.
Nikki Hess led the Broncos with 18 kills, hitting .261 with 11 digs and an ace (6 e, 46 att.). "Nikki is one of the top players in the conference and she proved that time and time again this weekend," said Wallace. "All aspects of her game from passing to defense - not just her attacking – are improving by leaps and bounds every week.
Sabrina Clayton hit .333 with 18 kills and eight digs with an ace (4 e, 42 att.). "Sabrina is also having an all-conference type of season – she is awesome," said Wallace.
Kaity Edwards had 13 kills, hitting .375 (4 e, 24 att.) with two block solos and one block assist. "Kaity was really good for us today," said Wallace.
Kirsten Mead had 66 assists, two aces and six digs with a couple of kills. "Kirsten was very consistent and made great choices today," added Wallace. "She was able to stay with hot hitters and then change based on San Diego's adjustments. Her poise is unmatched and her mental approach to the game is one of the best I have seen."
Danielle Rottman scored 20 digs, an ace and an assist. "Dani continues to get better and better. What I love about her right now, she thinks she is going to hit every ball. Her defensive mentality is awesome to watch," said Wallace.
San Diego hit .227 with 59 kills (22 e, 163 att.). They collected 54 assists, two aces, two service errors, 61 digs and 11 team blocks.
Alaysia Brown had 18 kills, hitting .268 (7 e, 41 att.). Lisa Kramer hit .357 with 12 kills (2 e, 28 att.). Canace Finley hit .192 with 10 kills (5 e, 26 att.). Jianna Bonomi had 16 digs and 21 assists. Kriste Gengenbacher had 25 assists and three digs. Sandra Lozic hit just .038 with four kills (3 e, 26 att.) and 12 digs.
After San Diego opened the match on a 4-0 run, SCU called for time. USD marched ahead 10-3 and then 13-6. After an ace by Rottman, Milton scored on the backset by Mead to cut the lead to three. Hess scored on the overpass and then Brown smacked it way out as SCU pulled within a point. Timeout USD. Canace Finley stopped the run with a kill in the middle, but Edwards scored again on the quick for a sideout. Mead dumped it in the donut to tie up at 17. Clayton tied it up with a cross court bomb. San Diego scored six of the next seven to take a 24-19 lead. A kill by Clayton got SCU the sideout, but Kennedy finished off the set with a kill, 25-20 USD. SCU hit .243 with 15 kills (6 e, 37 att.). USD hit .324 with 15 kills (3 e, 37 att.). Hess had five kills and Brown and Kramer added four each.
The Broncos opened the second set on a 4-0 run, including an ace by Clayton and a kill by Milton. Hess and Edwards scored back-to-back kills and then Edwards and Milton collected a team block. Down 8-1, USD scored five of the next seven out of its timeout. Clayton scored back-to-back kills. The Broncos collected a team block after a long rally for a sideout, 14-9 SCU. USD scored a couple but a back row attack by Clayton got the SCU sideout. USD added three before SCU called for time, leading by just a point, 15-14. Edwards scored off the block and then Hess scored in the middle. The two traded points with Finley smacking it out. Clayton snared the kill off the USD player's arms and then Milton did the same on the opposite side of the court. After Kramer hit it out, USD called for time, down 21-16. USD scored two of the next three and then Calkins crushed it in the middle. Two USD errors ended the set, 25-19 SCU. SCU hit .278 with 14 kills (4 e, 36 att.). USD hit .054 with 11 kills (9 e, 37 att.).
The third set featured six ties early. An ace by Mead and back-to-back kills by Hess and Clayton put SCU up 9-6. After USD scored a sideout, Clayton scored her 11th kill for a sideout. USD scored four straight to take a 13-12 lead. Clayton's back row attack and then her cross court kill gave SCU the lead back, 14-13. The Broncos scored three of the next five to take a 17-15 lead. Three errors by the Broncos helped USD advance 19-18. The teams tied it up three times but SCU was called in the net, 22-21 USD. Timeout SCU. Edwards crushed it off the block and then she blocked the ball solo as SCU went up 23-22 and USD called for time. After USD scored on a couple of Bronco errors, SCU called for time. A kill by Edwards, her 10th of the day, tied it up but a USD team block gave USD its second set point. Clayton's cross court kill tied it up again, but another team block by USD gave them their third set point. A kill by Merve Tanyel off the block and USD clinched the third set, 27-25. SCU hit .214 with 18 kills (9 e, 42 att.). USD hit .326 with 17 kills (3 e, 43 att.).
The Broncos started the fourth set on a 5-1 run, including the 13th kill by Hess and an ace by Mary Shepherd. USD scored a couple before Edwards scored off the block for a sideout. A Milton ace and a Hess kill put SCU up 8-4. Finley hit it way out on a long rally, 10-5 SCU. Clayton crushed it to put SCU up 14-7 coming out of a USD timeout. Maas and Milton collected a team block, Maas crushed it for a kill and Mead scored an ace, 17-7 Broncos. Trading sideouts, Shepherd collected her second ace of the set and scored four straight points with tough serves. Milton tipped the ball for a sideout, collecting set point, 24-10. USD scored a couple when Edwards finished off the set with a cross court kill, 25-12 SCU. SCU hit .406 with 15 kills (2 e, 32 att.). San Diego hit .080 with 6 kills (4 e, 25 att.).
USD took a 4-0 lead in the final set with SCU calling for time. Milton ended the run with her 11th kill. Maas and Milton blocked Brown for another point. Maas scored a block solo and Milton added a kill after a USD sideout. Finley hit it out to help SCU tie it up at 5. USD scored a couple before Milton finished the attack in the back row. Kramer's kill off the block made it 8-6 USD. Mead dumped it the donut for a kill and Hess scored an ace in the same spot. Milton scored in the same spot and USD called for time, down 9-8. Tied up twice, Maas scored in the back row, 11-10 SCU. Kennedy tied it up and Milton crushed it back-to-back as SCU marched ahead 13-11 before USD called for time. Brown scored off the block, but Hess scored in the corner to finish off the match 15-12. USC hit .526 with 11 kills (1 e, 19 att.). USD hit .333 with 10 kills (3 e, 21 att.).
