SPOKANE, Wash. — The good times continue to roll for Saint Mary's Volleyball, as they have improved considerably since the first four matches of the season. The Gaels slumped out of the gates to an 0-4 start, but they are playing like a different team since the calendar turned to September. Saint Mary's opened up conference play on Wednesday with a five-set win, and followed that up with a strong four-set victory over Gonzaga, with scores of 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, and 25-21. Saint Mary's has won five of their last six to improve to 5-5 (2-0) while dropping Gonzaga to 3-9 (0-2).
 
FINISHING STRONG
The opening set of the afternoon was tight until the very end, when Saint Mary's used a strong finish to close out the Zags. With the score tied at 17-17, Ashley Reed slammed down a kill to get a run going for the Gaels, which saw SMC score six consecutive points. Two blocks were recorded during that run, with Reed teaming up with Kristen Erland for both of them. The set was won on a Hawley Harrer kill, ending it at 25-19 and giving the Gaels a load of momentum heading into the final three sets of the match.
 
BACK TO THE START
The Gaels raced out to a 5-2 lead in the second set before the tides turned and Gonzaga pulled ahead in the middle of the set, leading 10-7 and still holding that lead as late as 18-17. Once again, the Gaels were able to close out a set with a lot of firepower, going back to how they played in the first set. Kjersti Strong got going from the middle, tying the match with a kill, and then teaming up with Reed for a block. For the second set in a row, the Gaels took eight of the final 10 points, including the last four in a row, and won the set 25-20.
 
TAKING OVER
This season has been a breakout year for fifth-year opposite Hawley Harrer, who has been excelling as the veteran of the Gaels attack. She has 10 or more kills in all but two matches this season, including 14+ in four matches. After racking up 16 kills at Portland on Wednesday, she piled up 18 on Saturday afternoon, just one off of her career-high that she set earlier this year. She was a major factor in the final set when the Gaels closed it out in four sets, adding two kills and a solo block during the Gaels final seven points of the set.
 
HOW TO WIN
Certainly 18 kills and five total blocks from Harrer help, but the Gaels had other strong performances on Saturday. Genevieve Bane was the second-leading attacker with 12 kills, while adding three aces. Erland set a career-best with three service aces as well, adding six block assists. It was one of the best matches in the young career of Reed, who had eight kills (season-high), and six block assists (career-best). Hailee Garcia also had her best game, as the freshman setter piled up a career-best 21 assists and two aces.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's will put their unbeaten start in conference play to the test on Tuesday night in their first home WCC match of the year. The Gaels will welcome in the San Francisco Dons for a 7:00 pm tilt inside University Credit Union Pavilion, in a match that would favor the Gaels if last year were taken into consideration. Saint Mary's swept the Dons last season across their two matches, but USF is much improved this season, with a record of 7-5.