Match #11
Saint Mary's Gaels (4-6) vs. Pacific Tigers (8-4)
Friday, September 27, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. 
Moraga, Calif. — McKeon Pavilion
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MORAGA, Calif. –– West Coast Conference play begins this week as Saint Mary's hosts the Pacific Tigers on Friday for their last match of the month.

SCOUTING REPORT
The Gaels are looking to bounce back this week after falling in two matches to No. 24 Cal over the weekend. Saint Mary's kept it close on Thursday in front of an enthusiastic home-opener crowd in Berkeley, but eventually fell 3-0. SMC took Cal to four sets on Saturday after coming from behind, but were again unable to close it out and lost 3-1. The Gaels went 4-6 in non-conference play including having won three of their last five matches.

Sophomore Breyan Ashley is currently leading the team with 117 kills with an average of 3.08 per set. Ashley has the second most service aces on the squad (13) behind senior Alexsa "Crash" Parker who has a total of 18. She is also one of only five Gaels who have played in every match and one of just three Gaels who have played in every set. Ashley was also named to the All-Tournament Team earlier in the month following a stellar performance in the Bay Area Invitational. Last week, Ashley collected a total of 20 kills and 15 digs with her best match being on Saturday where she recorded 12 kills and eight digs.

Freshman Elena Baka continues to impress in her inaugural season as a Gael as she is second behind Ashley in total kills on the season with 90 (2.37 per set). She is also one of the few players alongside Ashley to have played in both every match and every set.  

PACIFIC
The Pacific Tigers have had a strong start to their season as they are 8-4 going into this week. The Tigers have won five of their last six matches, including a tournament win at the Bulldog Brawl in Indianapolis last week. Pacific has yet to play a game at home this season and they have an away record of 2-2 and a neutral record of 6-2. The Tigers were swept three times early in the year, but have since not allowed any of their matches to go less than four sets. Following the match against Saint Mary's, Pacific will visit USF for a match before returning to Stockton for their first home game of the season against BYU. The Gaels and the Tigers met twice last season, with SMC winning both matches (3-2 and 3-0 respectively).
 
#GaelsRise –  For ticket information to all home volleyball games, call the SMC Ticket Office today at 925-631-4689.