Nov. 5, 2009
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Behind a career night for junior right side Ali Troost, the 22nd-ranked University of San Diego women's volleyball team picked up a 3-2 win over Santa Clara University Thursday evening in a West Coast Conference match.
With the 18-25, 25-18, 23-25, 25-14, 15-8 win, the Toreros improve to 16-5 overall and move to 8-2 in the WCC. With the loss, the Broncos fall to 14-10 overall and 4-5 in the WCC.
Troost recorded a career-high 34 kills on 50 swings to post a .540 attack percentage to lead all players offensively. Senior middle hitter Torey Ellick also had a big night for the Toreros as she recorded 13 kills and hit for as .423 clip. Kayleen Webster recorded a match-best 14 digs, while Kelsi Myers racked up 59 assists in helping lead the team to a .312 attack percentage.
In the first set, it was a back and forth battle in the early going. Then with the Toreros leading 5-4, a SCU kill sparked a 5-1 run to give the Broncos a 9-5 advantage. The two teams then sea sawed back and forth a bit, trading point for point until the score was at 14-12 in favor of Santa Clara, then the Broncos used a 6-2 run to grab the momentum, and they never looked back as they claimed set one 25-18.
In the second set, the Toreros jumped out to a 7-2 lead as a Troost kill off a set from Carrie Baird began the run and a Myers kill off a set from Ellick capped things off. San Diego was able to hold onto the five point lead as they cruised their way to a 25-18 win, to even the match at one set a piece.
In the third set, it was a close battle right from the get-go as the two teams traded point-for-point in the early going. Then with the score at 8-7 in favor of the Toreros, a Troost kill ignited a 5-3 San Diego run that gave San Diego a 14-10 lead. The Broncos then began to chip away at the lead and eventually knotted the set up at 19-19 on a SCU kill. The two teams then traded point-for-point until the set was again tied at 23-23. The Broncos then grabbed the next two points to take a two sets to one lead.
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In the fourth set, The Toreros raced out to a 9-5 lead to grab the early momentum. A Baird kill off a set from Myers then sparked a 6-3 San Diego run that was capped on a Troost kill to give the Toreros a comfortable 14-8 lead. San Diego never looked back as they closed out the set on an 11-6 run, forcing a fifth and final set.
In the fifth and final set, San Diego continued the momentum from set four and jumped out to a 7-3 lead, and never really looked back as they eased their way to a 15-8 win to claim the match, 3-2.
The Toreros will return to action on Saturday as they head to San Francisco to take on the University of San Francisco in a 1 p.m. WCC match.
