SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Saint Mary's Volleyball (0-1) came out primed and ready to open the season, taking 19th ranked Arkansas (1-0) to the final points of set five, before dropping that final set 15-13, as the Razorbacks earned the victory 3-2. 

Saint Mary's hung tough early with Arkansas in the first set, but a late 7-2 surge from the Razorbacks propelled them to a 25-18 victory. The Gaels responded by taking the next two sets. Set two began with a 7-0 run that featured three aces from Hailee Garcia, as SMC never trailed in that frame. It was another hot start in set three for the Gaels, working ahead 3-0, but Arkansas clawed back into things, as the two squads traded blows, eventually coming to a head knotted up at 23-23. Back to back kills from Abby Castillon secured the set victory for SMC, as they took a 2-1 lead into the fourth. Fatigue began to set in for the Gaels in set four, as Arkansas took advantage of mistakes to force a decisive set five. That fifth set featured six ties and three lead changes, and, like set three, went to a 13-13 tie heading into the final decisive points. A 2-0 Razorback run was all that they needed to stave off the upset defeat. 

Despite the loss, the Gaels looked in midseason form in the match of the year. Hannah Taylor led the attack for Saint Mary's with a career high 18 kills. Genevieve Bane added 16 kills and 10 digs for her first double-double of 2024. Also joining the kill-dig double-double fun was Abby Castillon, with a career-high 14 kills and 16 digs. Hailee Garcia notched her double-double with assists and digs, going for 27 and 13 respectively while coming up with a team-high five service aces. Madi Zorn logged 20 assists to her name, a new career mark, as the Gaels continue to utilize their signature 6-2 rotation. Defensively, Katherine Gee notched 22 digs in her SMC debut, while Kaliko Kealoha tallied five blocks in her collegiate debut. 

CAREER HIGH KILLERS
Both Hannah Taylor and Abby Castillon put up big kill numbers in match one of 2024, and those numbers each served as new career-highs for the two SMC pin hitters. Taylor logged 18 kills, one off of her career-best set a year ago against Gonzaga in Spokane. Castillon tallied 14 kills, two better than her career best mark set last year at home against Portland State. Taylor now enters her senior season and looks primed and ready to be an offensive leader for SMC, while Castillon, who suffered a season ending injury in late October of last year, already looks in midseason form for the Gaels. 

DAZZLING DEFENSIVE DEBUTANTES
Defensively, the Gaels had two newcomers shine brightest. At the net, true freshman Kaliko Kealoha had her hands on five of Saint Mary's six total blocks. On the back row, Feather River Transfer Katherine Gee racked up 22 digs, a statline that she is not unaccustomed to, after tallying 17 20+ dig matches at FRC last year. 

I'D LIKE TO ORDER THREE DOUBLE-DOUBLES, PLEASE?
Saint Mary's had three players reach double-double tallies in today's five set thriller. Genevieve Bane went for 16 kills and 10 digs, Abby Castillon notched 14 kills and 16 digs, and Hailee Garcia totalled 27 assists and 14 digs. This trio of players competing at a high level on both sides of the net contributed to the Gaels strong play against the 19th ranked team in the country. 

UP NEXT
Saint Mary's will take on Mustang Invitational host Cal Poly tomorrow at 10 AM. 

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