MORAGA, Calif. — For the second home match in a row, Saint Mary's Volleyball welcomed in one of the top teams in the country for a West Coast Conference fight. The Gaels and fourth-ranked San Diego Toreros did battle on Saturday afternoon inside University Credit Union Pavilion, the toughest test the Gaels have had on the schedule this season. For much of the match, they were up to the task, but still wound up falling in three sets with finals of 25-22, 25-11, and 25-15. With the loss, the Gaels drop to 6-10 (3-5) on the season while No. 4 San Diego improves to 17-1 (8-0).
 
SERVE GAME
The biggest difference in the game on Saturday afternoon was the performance of both teams at the service line. Saint Mary's was matching San Diego swing for swing and attack for attack for the better part of the first two sets, but aces and errors became a story. The Gaels had five service errors in the first set and lost the set by just three points. In the second set, San Diego closed out the Gaels with a 12-0 run and they were aided by service aces. The Toreros racked up seven aces in the set with just one error, including five during that stretch. The Gaels allowed 11 aces, the most they've seen in a match this season.
 
MATCHING THEM
In that first set, Saint Mary's was arguably the better attacking team, part of the reason they were able to stay in the set as long as they were. San Diego racked up an impressive .308 hitting percentage in the opening set, but Saint Mary's out-did them. The Gaels were a great .423 on the attack in the first set, with 13 kills and just two errors in one of their cleaner attacking sets in conference play. Hawley Harrer had four kills and Kjersti Strong had three as the Gaels hung around and made it a two-point score at 24-22 when Megan Chandler Allred laid down a kill. For the match, the Gaels hit .260, their best hitting percentage in a loss this season.
 
AMONG OTHER NUMBERS
The Gaels limited the strong block of the Toreros all game, holding them to just three blocks and out-blocking them 4-3…the Gaels attack was diverse all game long, with Harrer and Strong leading the way with seven kills, while Kristen Erland added six without an error…USD had some strong performances from Katie Lukes (19 kills), Gabby Blossom (41 assists), and Kyle Pries (5 aces)…Hailee Garcia had nine assists in her best performance from the setting position since September 27 against San Francisco.
 
UP NEXT
The Gaels will remain in the Bay Area for the next slate of road games, which begins on Thursday evening at San Francisco. SMC will play the Dons and then the Broncos of Santa Clara to cap off the week. Once that stretch is done, the Gaels will finish the season with six of their final eight matches at home inside University Credit Union Pavilion.