Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif.-The Gonzaga volleyball team saw its seven-match win streak snapped Thursday night, falling to No. 18 San Diego in three sets (25-18, 25-20, 25-21) inside Jenny Craig Pavilion in San Diego.

The Zags (11-8, 6-1 WCC) suffered their first defeat of the West Coast Conference season, falling into a tie for second place with the Toreros. Despite the loss, the Zags still have equaled their best start to a conference season through seven matches.

Gonzaga was paced by middle blockers Payton Mack and Alyse Whitaker Thursday night, who provided 22 of the Zags' 34 kills and combined for a .465 attack percentage. Whitaker led the Zags with 12 kills - her eighth match in double-digits of the season - while Mack was two shy at 10. Mack was also involved in five of the Zags' seven blocks while Whitaker added two.

Libero Tiyana Hallums also tallied 15 digs, tying for the match lead. The junior has reached double-digits in eight of the last nine matches.

The Toreros, ranked No. 18 in the nation by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, led Gonzaga in nearly every category, although the Zags kept close in digs (45-43) and pulled even in blocks (7.0-7.0). San Diego did tally a .230 attack percentage, 38 points higher that GU's, and they served up eight aces in comparison to Gonzaga's one.

"San Diego served really tough tonight," said Gonzaga head coach Diane Nelson. "We haven't been shaken up that much in serve receive. It was hard to get much going offensively."

This was the Zags' first match of the year against a ranked squad. There's three more ranked foes left on the season, and the next one comes Saturday, Oct. 14 as the Zags take on No. 7 BYU. That contest will begin at 12:00 p.m. Pacific (1:00 p.m. Mountain) in Provo, Utah.