NOVATO/MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's Beach Volleyball (10-7) had quite the adventure today, as they had a scheduling oddity that placed them on the road to take on the San Francisco Dons (4-9) on the road in the morning before hosting the Pacific Tiger (0-14) in the late afternoon. Despite the abnormality, the Gaels took care of business, surrendering just one point to their two opponents combined to notch wins number nine and 10 on the year. 

The first match of the day against the Dons was played at College of Marin, and was quite a bit closer than the scoreline revealed. The Dons and Gaels traded thrilling three set victories, as the Gaels erased an early deficit when Sedona Sherman and Sadie Shipman, playing as the #2 pair for the first time this season, won their three setter. Paola Peralta, playing with Chloe Swanson for the first time this season, took care of business in straight sets, giving the Gaels a 2-1 lead. The W clinching match came from Hawley Harrer and Hannah Couch, playing in the one spot for the first time this season. Harrer and Couch shook off a first set defeat, and looked dominant in the second and third, to clinch the victory for the Gaels. Allie Cataldo and Angie Bour continued their stellar year, closing out the match with a victory as well. 

Against the Tigers, the Gaels played off the energy of a sizable crowd in their home opener to earn the sweep. Karmin Brown and AJ Slojkowski rebounded from their loss to USF to surrender just 14 points in their straight set victory to set the tone. Harrer/Couch and Cataldo Bour followed suit with straight set victories to clinch the victories for the Gaels early. That said, the match of the day pitted Sadie Shipman and Sedona Sherman, a former Tiger, against the #2 grouping for the Tigers. The two sides traded 21-18 decision, and Sherman and Shipman found themselves in an early hole in the third set, but the duo rallied, taking five of the final six points en route to the 15-10 victory. This locked up a sweep for the Gaels, as the #5 spot was forfeited by the Tigers, who only had nine available players, but the match played out in exhibition fashion, with Peralta and Swanson looking like an established duo despite only playing their second match together. 

The Gaels will be back in action on Monday, taking on both Stanford and USF in Palo Alto at 1 and 3 PM respectively. The matchup with Stanford can be watched live on Pac-12 Network. 

MATCH ONE: SMC 4, USF 1
(4) Rainie Stevens/Rylie Reeves (USF) def Karmin Brown/AJ Slojkowski (SMC) 15-21, 21-12, 15-11
(2) Sedona Sherman/Sadie Shipman (SMC) def McKenna Towne/Jette Morris (USF) 21-19, 15-21, 15-10
(5) Paola Peralta/Chloe Swanson (SMC) def Francesca Stanschus/Alina Inzunza (USF) 21-18, 21-7
(1) Hawley Harrer/Hannah Couch (SMC) def Letizia Aquilino/Moorea Wood (USF) 19-21, 21-11, 15-11
(3) Allie Cataldo/Angie Bour (SMC) def Branson Lennon/Kaydence Stormes (USF) 21-18, 21-18

MATCH TWO: SMC 5, PAC 0
(4) Karmin Brown/AJ Slojkowski (SMC) def Miranda Baptista/Alessia Brown (PAC) 21-10, 21-4
(1) Hawley Harrer/Hannah Couch (SMC) def Camdyn Albrecht/Kelia Saxton (PAC) 21-12, 21-16
(3) Allie Cataldo/Angie Bour (SMC) def Mia Rossman/Julie Alexander (PAC) 21-13, 21-6
(2) Sedona Sherman/Sadie Shipman (SMC) def Josephine Kinlan/Ashley Davis (PAC) 18-21, 21-18, 15-10
(5) Paola Peralta/Chloe Swanson def Jo Abougoush/Alessia Brown 21-5, 21-14 (exhibition -- match was forfeited due to lack of players for Pacific)

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