Oct. 14, 2005

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - For the second consecutive home match the Gonzaga University volleyball team treated the fans to an exciting five-game match. Unfortunately the Bulldogs (9-11, 1-3 WCC) were on the losing end this time as the University of San Francisco rallied to win the contest in five games. USF (15-6, 2-3 WCC) won 14-30, 30-28, 18-30, 37-35, 15-8 to knock off Gonzaga for the sixth straight time. Gonzaga returns to action on Saturday night when they host No. 25 Saint Mary's College at 7 p.m. All fans will be admitted to the game for only $1 as the Bulldogs continue their Fan Appreciation weekend.

Gonzaga dominated play in two of the first three games as the Bulldogs controlled play at the net and on the serve. Jessica Herrera dropped in five service aces over the first three games as the Bulldogs had 9 in the first three games and zero over the remaining two games. Sophomore's Briawna Mueller and Kelly Steinhaus helped control the play at the net with a combined 17 blocks. Mueller had 12 on the night including five solo blocks. The 12 blocks ranks as the seventh best blocking performance in school history as Mueller ties her 12 block total set last season against Portland State University.

Despite the solid effort in two of the first three games Gonzaga could not put the Dons away. Spokane native KeLicia Shorts kept USF in the match as she collected a match-high 23 kills on 40 attacks for a .450 attack percentage. The Dons as a team only registered a .090 attack percentage as the Bulldogs were able to contain the remainder of the USF players. Shorts was also a factor at the net with a career-high 12 blocks, four of them solo blocks.

Momentum swung both ways during game four as there were 13 ties and 6 leads changes before USF could finally pull out the 37-35 win. Kristin Hasselberg helped pace the Dons in that game as she finished with 17 kills. Freshman Michelle Boevers and senior Lacey Bell were almost equal to the task for the Bulldogs as they combined for 13 kills in the game. The game four left USF with the additional momentum to win game four. Hasselberg and Shorts combined for four kills as USF had its best hitting game of the match in the 15-8 win.

"We had some great chances to win this match and we just could not find a way to put San Francisco away," stated GU head coach Kip Yoshimura following the setback. "We have been working on winning these types of close matches all season and I think we treated the crowd to a great match. Hopefully we can get this same type of support tomorrow night when we play Saint Mary's."

Boevers led the Bulldogs with 20 kills while Bell added 12. Sophomore Becky Jones finished with her 11th double-double of the season with 17 kills and 23 digs. Herrera also had 15 digs to go along with her 5 aces.

Jencie Lejeune added 14 for USF while Brynn Maurer was the top Dons player with 19 digs.