SPOKANE, Wash. — The second half of back-to-backs have been kinder to Saint Mary's all season long. After dropping the opening match against Gonzaga on Sunday, Saint Mary's responded with a five-set win on Monday afternoon, showing improvements across the board. With the win, Saint Mary's is now 2-6, with both wins coming in five sets, while Gonzaga falls to 2-4.
 
START WITH THE ENDING
Saint Mary's won the first and third sets, which means they were due to win the fifth set on Monday, right? The fifth set was about as back-and-forth as the entire match, with both teams taking the lead on multiple occasions. Gonzaga opened up with the first two points, and again took a 7-6 lead, but the Gaels were able to maximize their last surge. The next three points went to the Gaels courtesy of Selbie Christensen, Hawley Harrer, and Elena Baka, and the Gaels never looked back. A late push from Gonzaga with the Gaels up 14-11 made things closer than they needed to be, but the Gaels survived.
 
HARRER HEATING UP
All afternoon, when the Gaels turned to Harrer on the attack, they were not disappointed. Harrer was stopped just once on the attack on Monday, racking up 11 kills after a career-best 12 on Sunday. Her attack percentage was stellar going into the fourth set, where she was sitting at over 70% after three sets. In the two matches against Gonzaga, Harrer tallied 23 kills and just two errors. If the Gaels are able to get Harrer to perform at this level every match, Saint Mary's is going to be a dangerous team down the stretch.
 
SERVING IT UP
Saint Mary's took advantage of Gonzaga from the service line on Monday, where the Gaels had six more aces than the Zags and seven fewer errors. Baka was a force from the line, leading Saint Mary's with four aces, which doubled her previous career-best. Jennifer "Boo" Laird was also very effective, with three aces on the afternoon, already the second time this season where Laird has registered three aces in a match.
 
AMONG OTHER NUMBERS
Chandler Cowell tied for the Gaels lead with 11 kills, while also putting up double-figures in digs with 11, her second such performance of the season…Abigail "Abby" Matoso put up a career-best with 17 digs, the second time in the last three matches she has done so…Ella Sandt led Saint Mary's with 23 assists and also went for ten digs, the first time in her career that she has put up ten or more of each.
 
BROWNING BITES
"We fought for this one – we had to. Gonzaga stepped up, especially in the fourth set. They took the momentum away from us. Huge credit to our team for taking it back right from the first whistle of the fifth set. Gonzaga didn't let up, but our team asserted themselves and took control at the end. Another good character win for our team." – head coach Rob Browning

HAWLEY HARPS
"Today's match was good because it showed that we have what it takes to rise above the momentum changes in volleyball. I think that's something we are learning right now, trying to find the balance of being able to bring the fire and keep the consistency. I am really happy with how we have been staying together as a team because that is the most important part: having fun and enjoying the adventures of college sports." - Hawley Harrer
 
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's returns home and will stay in the Bay Area for the remainder of the 2021 spring season, a nice oddity the schedule has created. Up next is a home series against Portland set for Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24, with first serves scheduled for 2:00 pm on each afternoon.
 
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