STOCKTON, Calif. – The Gonzaga volleyball team used a stellar defensive performance to outlast Pacific in five sets (19-25, 25-22, 15-25, 25-19, 15-13) Friday evening in Stockton, Calif. It marked the first match for the Zags in 438 days.
 
Gonzaga (1-0, 1-0 WCC) was led by a double-double from Preseason All-WCC selection Sarah Penner who finished with a team-high 15 kills to go along with 17 digs. The senior from Sherwood, Ore., added six blocks, three assists and one ace in the win. Sophomore Zoe Thiros added 10 kills off 27 attempts with two errors to hit .296, while Alisa Kim added a double-double with 34 assists and 19 digs. Julia Talarico added a team-high 20 digs.
 
As a team, Gonzaga was strong defensively as the Bulldogs finished with 19.0 total blocks—which ranks tied for seventh all time in blocks in a five-set match—to go along with 90 digs, just shy of the program's top-ten mark for digs in a five-set match. Across the net, Pacific (0-1, 0-1 WCC) finished with 8.0 total blocks and 91 digs. GU added 46 kills off 43 assists hitting .153 for the match to go along with four service aces.
 
Gonzaga and Pacific traded lopsided set wins for each of the first four sets, with each team dominating in the respective set wins. In the fifth, Gonzaga took the early 4-1 set lead and never looked back. GU offset a late Pacific run in the fifth to claim the 15-12 victory and take the match 3-2.
 
"It was so fun," Head Coach Diane Nelson said. "The energy was great. We certainly have a lot of work to do, but they played with heart and for each other!"
 
Three players logged double-doubles for the Tigers, led by Alexa Edwards with a match-high 21 kills to go along with 10 digs. Gabby Leo added 50 assists and 22 digs, while Riley Patterson finished with 18 digs and 14 kills.
 
Gonzaga faces Pacific once more Saturday, Feb. 6 at 12 p.m. inside the Alex G. Spanos Center. Check GoZags.com for up-to-date match information.