Box Score WATCH VIDEO RECAP
SAN FRANCSICO - The Dons volleyball team put together a true team effort to sweep the Gonzaga Bulldogs in straight sets at War Memorial Gym on Saturday afternoon. USF had four players post double-digit kill and dig performances, along with two 20-plus assist contributions to net the 25-22, 25-16, 25-17 win.
Coach Gilad Doran credits the stout defense as a testament to today's success, with particular note to redshirt sophomore
Rebecca Kopilovitch's play at the libero position.
"I think Becky's effort regardless of the competition is just unbelievable," Doron said after the match. "She's been rock-solid for us the past few months with her hustle play, with her energy and with the will to just not let any ball get on the floor. It's definitely great to have her on our side, for sure.
"Defensively - 21 digs in three games - she just didn't want any ball to drop and that is contagious. We have four players in double figures in digs. It starts with the defensive effort and it continues with how we are attacking."
USF (14-11, 5-6 WCC) powered to a 7-0 lead in the first to set the stage for a rout, but the Gonzaga Bulldogs (9-16, 1-11 WCC) would not go down without a fight. Gonzaga rallied back to tie the set at 10-10 after a successful block by Jordan Gasser gave the Bulldogs the point. The set was re-tied at 22-all before the Dons rattled off three straight points with kills by
Jocelyn Levig,
Ester de Vries and a final blast by
Malina Terrell to finish the first with a score of 25-22 in favor of the Dons.
Gonzaga took a two-point lead in the second set, what proved to be their largest of the afternoon, at 10-8. A high dig from Gonzaga's Terran Poindexter made it up to the speaker cube and on its retun to orbit Mangya Wang poked the ball over the net for the kill. USF rallied with the next six points to regain the lead which was maintened through the remainder of the set. The Dons took the 25-16 victory in the second as the Bulldogs finished with a .000 hitting percentage in the frame.
The third started with a kill from
Alycia Cox and the Dons never looked back. USF raced out to an 11-4 lead with two four-point runs that included three-straight kills from
Valentina Zaloznik. The set and the match was decided with two straight rockets from
Hadley Simmons to win the set 25-17 and take the sweep.
De Vries finished with a team-high 12 kills and was supported by 10-kill efforts by Levig, Terrell and Zaloznik. Along with Kopilovitch's 21 digs, Cox got 17 of her own.
Leanna Ludes finished the day with a 25-assist, 13-dig double-double in the victory.
The Dons have not dropped a match to the Bulldogs since falling 3-2 on Nov. 14, 2009.
"We have enough talent around us that we can spread that ball better and it's a function of how well we pass the ball," Doron said. "If we pass the ball well we can set anyone on any given day."
Upcoming, USF looks to avenge a five-set heartbreaker at home on Nov. 1, as the team travels to Santa Clara for a rematch on Nov. 8 at 6 p.m.
