SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The University of San Francisco volleyball team (15-13, 8-8 WCC) ended its regular season home slate with a win, earning a thrilling five-set victory over San Diego (17-9, 12-4 WCC) Saturday afternoon at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- San Francisco began the match by scoring five of the first six points to take an early 5-1 lead. Astrid Puig led the charge at the beginning of the first set, posting three straight kills before San Diego accumulated back-to-back attack errors.
- Leading 10-7, the Dons faltered midway through the frame as the Toreros used a 12-5 scoring run to take control. Despite cutting the deficit to three, 19-16, following a Michalina Rola kill, the Toreros secured six of the final eight points to win the opening set, 25-18.
- San Francisco bounced back in the second set, opening with a 7-2 advantage, as Puig continued her success with two kills.
- Despite a narrow comeback by the Toreros, trimming the Dons' lead to one, 13-12, the green and gold used kills from Rola and Puig while forcing the opposition into two attack errors, pushing the advantage to four, 18-14.
- The green and gold continued to hold serve throughout the remainder of the frame, as a final Rola kill secured the 25-20 set victory.
- San Francisco used a balanced offensive attack to dominate the start of the third set, as five players recorded kills to guide the team to a 7-3 edge. The Dons continued their scoring run, pushing the lead to double-digits shortly after, 13-3, following an attack error from the Toreros' Kristen Erland.
- Leading 21-13, the Dons eased through the back half of the frame, recording a 4-1 run to take the third set, 25-14.
- San Diego answered in the fourth set, tying the match at two sets apiece, winning 25-16 to force a deciding fifth frame.
- In the fifth set, the Dons began with an early 5-2 advantage, highlighted by back-to-back kills from Hayden Goodman and a service ace from Rola. The Toreros responded near the end of the set, taking a 12-10 lead following a 4-0 scoring run.
- Facing match point, 14-13, the Dons' defense forced two straight attack errors to regain the lead, 15-14, and despite the Toreros evening the set at 15, the green and gold won two consecutive points to secure the set and match, 17-15.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
- Puig and Rola led San Francisco offensively with 12 kills apiece. Puig also recorded a .290 hitting percentage. Defensively, the duo combined for 10 digs from the outside hitter position, and Puig added four blocks.
- Aylen Ayub recorded her 15th double-double of the season with 37 assists and 16 digs. Her assist total marks the 22nd time she has accumulated at least 30 assists in a match this season.
- In her final match on the Hilltop, Jolei Akima posted a team-high 19 digs and added three assists.
- As a team, San Francisco held San Diego to a .156 hitting percentage, the Toreros' second-lowest percentage in a match this season.
POSTGAME WITH THE DONS:
UP NEXT:
San Francisco begins its final road trip of the season when it travels to take on Washington State at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at Bohler Gym.
FOLLOW US:
For more information and updates on the University of San Francisco volleyball program, be sure to follow the Dons on Twitter
@USFDonsVB,
@USFDonsVB on Instagram and
@USFDonsVball on Facebook.
MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Get your official San Francisco Dons gear from the University of San Francisco bookstore today! Click
here to purchase.
SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our primary sponsor –
TwentyFive Ventures – for their continued support of USF Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contact
Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.
