Box Score

MORAGA, Calif.-- Gonzaga's volleyball team began the West Coast Conference portion of its season Thursday night, but it wasn't the start the Bulldogs were looking for as host Saint Mary's came away with a four-set win (26-28, 25-17, 25-21, 25-21) victory at McKeon Pavilion in Moraga.

In the first set, the host Gaels ran out to an early 10-3 lead, but the Zags ran the score back to even at 11-all with an 8-1 run. Four of those points came off kills, and Imani Wimbush and Katelyn Oppio teamed up for a pair of blocks as well. After swapping points up to a 15-15 tie, the Zags ripped off six straight points, two of which were service aces from Emmy Allen. The Bulldogs worked themselves into a set point at 18-24, but Saint Mary's rattled off seven straight for their own set point at 25-24. Gonzaga turned that aside, the two teams traded points to 26-all, and Gonzaga prevailed on a Saint Mary's service error and a block from Wimbush and Paige Folger.

Saint Mary's evened the contest with a 25-17 second-set victory. The Gaels hit .462 during the frame, pulling ahead at 11-9 and keeping the lead throughout. Coming out of intermission, SMC took the match lead by winning the third frame with a four-point margin. The hosts led throughout much of the frame, but Gonzaga used a late three-point run to even the set at 19-all. After the teams traded points, however, the Gaels won four straight to face set point at 24-20. The Zags fought off one set point with a kill by Wimbush, but Payton Rund ended the frame with a kill for Saint Mary's.

The fourth set was the closest as Saint Mary's needed a late run to take the lead and the frame. The two squads saw 13 tie scores and traded the lead three times during the set. With the score tied at 19-19 - the last tie score of the match - Saint Mary's took three straight points for a late lead. The Zags fought back within one with a kill and a Gael attack error, but Saint Mary's ended the contest by taking the final three points. They won the set 25-21 and the match 3-1.

Bulldog Bites:

• After winning the first set 28-26, the Zags have seen eight sets this year go to extra points. They've won seven of those eight, including three elongated sets Aug. 27 at Utah. Five of the Zags' 11 matches have seen at least one set reach extra points.
• Setter Faith Smith posted her team-leading fifth double-double of the season, adding 27 sets and 11 digs to the Gonzaga tally. While she entered the match with four double-doubles, this is her first in a four-set match; the others all came in five-set matches.
• The loss snapped a three-match win streak over the Gaels, two of which came in Moraga. The streak was the Zags' longest streak against Saint Mary's since also taking three off the Gaels in 1995-96.
• Three GU players reached double-digit digs Thursday night as Smith added 11 while both McKayla Ferris and Tiyana Hallums dug up 14 attacks. This is the fifth match where at least three Zags reached double-digits: five reached that mark against Butler, four did so against Idaho State, and three posted at least 10 digs against Utah and Southern Utah.

Zag Speak: Thoughts from Gonzaga head coach Diane Nelson

• "This was one of those matches where we could not get into a rhythm. Saturday's match is about settling down and trusting each other. We need to wash tonight away."

Next Up:

The Zags (7-4, 0-1 WCC) look to end the opening WCC weekend with a win Saturday, Sept. 24, against Pacific. That match against the Tigers will take place at the Spanos Center in Stockton, Calif.