CEDAR CITY, Utah – Saint Mary's took a 2-0 lead with a dominant, opening pair of sets. However, Boise State rallied from behind and ceased to relent, ultimately taking the match in five sets.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

 • SET ONE | Neither side led by more than two points as the first set approached the halfway point with the score tied 10-10. Trailing by one point, the Gaels then utilized a 4-point run to take their biggest lead of the frame (16-13). SMC maintained their three-point advantage, eventually leading 21-18. The Gaels then won four of the next seven points to take the set 25-21.
 
• SET TWO | Looking to ride their momentum from the previous set, Saint Mary's built themselves a 16-9 lead in the second thanks to a pair of 4-0 runs. SMC continued to add on and a 6-2 run made it 19-10 which forced the Broncos to take a timeout. The Gaels kept their feet down on the gas and took a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-16 victory in the second set.  
 
• SET THREE | With the score tied at three points apiece, the Broncos scored five unanswered points to take an 8-3 advantage. The Gaels responded with three out of the next four points to cut into the deficit and slowly inched their way back to tie the game at 10-10. The lead went back-and-forth in the late part of the frame and the score found itself tied at 21-21. However, the Broncos took four of the last five points to win their first set of the match, 25-22.
 
• SET FOUR | It was all Boise State to open the fourth as the Broncos took a six-point, 9-3 lead in the early goings. However, SMC responded with six out of the next seven points including a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to one point (10-9). The Gaels fell behind by four (14-10) which the Broncos extended to six (18-12). Saint Mary's could not hold back Boise State for the rest of the set as they fell 25-15.
 
• SET FIVE | SMC could not cool down the Broncos in the final set as they took a 4-0 lead to open the period. The Gaels received their first point of the set when sophomore Selbie Christensen subbed in and got her first kill of the match. A kill from junior Jennifer "Boo" Laird brought SMC within two points (5-3), but Boise State went on to complete the comeback with a 15-9 victory in the final set.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
 
2: Sophomore Breyan Ashley recorded her second double-double in two games (19 kills – career-high, 14 digs)
2: No. of Gael double-doubles: Ashley and senior Alexsa "Crash" Parker (50 assists, 10 digs)
50: No. of assists for Parker (her most since posting 62 on September 7, 2018 against Southern Utah
4: No. of kills for sophomore Chandler Cowell in her indoor collegiate debut

UP NEXT
 
The Gaels will play their final match of the Thunderbird Classic on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. PT against Middle Tennessee.

#GaelsRise – For ticket information to all home volleyball matches, call the SMC Ticket Office today at 925-631-4689 or click the ticket link here to purchase your seats now.