SAN FRANCISCO - Gonzaga Volleyball defeated San Francisco in a marathon five set game on Saturday afternoon. 

The Zags won the first set with a score of 25-17, before the Dons claimed the second sets 26-24 and 25-20. The Bulldogs fought off a match point to force extra points in the fourth en route to a 27-25 victory. Gonzaga eventually won the three hour long match in extra points in the fifth set, winning 18-16. 

Gonzaga was powered by a strong attacking performance from Sjakkie Donkers, who tied her career high in kills with 25. Donkers hit two aces, added two blocks, and tallied nine digs in a total effort. Taylor Walsh also was a key factor in the win, scoring 11 kills on a .474 hitting percentage and adding a solo and assisted block. 

The Zags won the first set largely by shutting down the San Francisco offense, holding the Dons to just .049% hitting. GU had more kills in the second set (leading the category 16-14) but a couple untimely errors forced the set to extra points before the home team was able to level the match. San Francisco had their best offensive set of the game in the third, scoring 19 kills with just three errors. 

The Zags had another gritty performance to take back the fourth set, including fighting back after facing a match point. Six different Gonzaga attackers had over five kills in the match, showing the total team effort that required multiple players to have huge kills to stop rallies by the Dons to force extra points and then force the final set. 

The fifth set was tied up at 14 points apiece thanks to a key ace by Carina Zaldivar when the Zags pulled away, powered by a remarkable run by Walsh. Walsh three of the final four Bulldog points in the match, including a kill and an ace to give the Zags the match point and then the win. 

The Zags will look to continue their best season by winning percentage since 2016, hoping to add to a list of growing WCC wins when they take on Pacific when they return to Spokane next Saturday.