Box Score Nov. 19, 2015 Final Stats
MORAGA, Calif.--The Gonzaga University volleyball team once again found the win column Thursday night, beating Saint Mary's in four sets at McKeon Pavilion in Moraga. During the win, redshirt senior Savannah Blinn moved into second on the program's all-time kills list.
Saint Mary's won the first set, coming back from an early 6-1 deficit to take an early advantage in the match with a 24-26 first-set victory. The second set was even closer, seeing 18 tie scores and 14 lead changes with no team leading by more than three points. After a timeout and down 18-20, the Zags won the next three points with kills from Emmy Allen and Jordan Gasser along with a block from Gasser and Kaylie Loewen for a lead. Then, after a Gael timeout, the home team earned a sideout and re-took the lead with a block, but an attack error from Saint Mary's evened the frame at 22-all. The squads traded the next 10 points with Paige Folger tying the frame at 27-alll with a kill. Blinn pounded home a point for another GU lead, and she and Loewen blocked Saint Mary's Payton Rund to clinch the set at 29-27 and tie the match at one set apiece.
In the third, Gonzaga used a four-point run to go ahead 10-5 and posted another four-point stretch to extend that lead to 14-6. Gasser was hot during the beginning of the frame, at one point flooring four kills during an eight-point stretch. The Bulldogs continued to pour it on, winning seven of nine points near the end of the frame and winning by 12. The Zags hit .514 in the third set and posted a .857 sideout percentage defensively, going 12-for-14 in that category. A kill from Blinn -- her 14th of the match -- clinched the set for Gonzaga at 25-13.
The Bulldogs opened the fourth set with four straight points, and after two brief points from Saint Mary's they continued with seven in a row for an 11-2 lead. Blinn posted six of those points with kills, and she added two more in the frame as Gonzaga continued to dominate the run of play. Her seventh of the set moved her into second all-time in GU history and gave the Zags' an 11-point lead at 20-9. They hit a 12-point lead in the next point, an error from Saint Mary's. After a brief sideout, the Zags ended the match on a 4-1 run with a pair of Allen kills and a service ace from Folger, winning the fourth set 25-11.
Bulldog Bites:
With 22 kills on the night, Blinn moved into No. 2 on Gonzaga's all-time kills list, passing Lisa Petticord, who finished with 1,692. Blinn now has 1,694 kills in her career and entered the weekend with the eighth-most kills among all active Division I players. Those 22 kills against Saint Mary's are the opposite hitter's third-highest total of the season. She's now reached 20 or more kills in five matches, including three of the last four.
Gonzaga dug up 85 Saint Mary's attacks on the night, the most in over three years and 10 higher than the previous season high. Four Zags reached double-digits with Allen leading the way at 22, Ferris notching 17, Nikki Leonard digging up 12, and Tiyana Hallums adding 10. Allen's 22 digs were her most in a Bulldog uniform, and Ferris equaled her career high which she set earlier this year against Pepperdine.
The Zags saw their most efficient attack in over a month, hitting .369 against the Gaels. They've now hit above .300 in nine matches this season and at least .340 six times. Three Zags -- Blinn, Gasser, and Allen -- each hit above .400 individually with Gasser leading the way at .441. After her dominant .714 hit percentage against the Gaels earlier this year, Gasser hit .545 (35 kills, five blocks, 55 total attacks) against Saint Mary's this season.
Allen, Ferris, and Leonard each posted impressive double-doubles Thursday night. Allen matched her 22 digs with 12 kills, which equaled her season high. Ferris paired her 17 digs with 13 kills, her third straight match with double-digit kills. Leonard, meanwhile, dished out 26 assists and 12 digs. Both Allen and Ferris notched their third double-doubles of the season while Leonard saw her second. This is the first match of the year in which three Bulldogs posted double-doubles.
Zag Speak:
Thoughts from Gonzaga head coach Dave Gantt:
"The difference between before and after intermission was we began pass/serving more consistently. Then we ran our offense, which took the pressure off, and we also played tough defense. Coach Nelson [assistant coach Diane Nelson] said it best: `it's amazing what we can do when we pass/serve!'"
Next Up:
Gonzaga (15-14, 6-10 WCC) remains in Northern California for a showdown against Pacific Saturday, Nov. 21 at 12:00 p.m. The Zags beat the then-No. 23 Tigers in four sets in September, dominating the net with 17 blocks. Folger saw 10 of those, posting the Zags' individual season high in the category.
