Thursday, November 20
Moraga, CA
6:30 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
vs
Pacific
Miley Thunstrom is one of three Gaels who has averaged 2.5+ digs per set in the month of November
Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
VB | Gaels Finish Up Final Three Game Homestand with Pacific and Washington State
11/18/2025 11:56:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
MORAGA, Calif. — The Saint Mary's Gaels (9-16, 7-7 WCC) will finish up their brief nine match home slate in 2025 with their final two contests inside UCU Pavilion, as they will welcome in Pacific (8-17, 2-12 WCC) and Washington State (16-8, 10-4 WCC) in the penultimate week of the season. The Gaels have already surpassed last year's WCC wins tally, and need just two more wins to surpass their overall win total from last season.
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Pacific Tigers
Thursday, November 20 at 6:30 PM
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Washington State Cougars
Saturday, November 22 at 2 PM
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
MAKING LIFE TOUGH FOR OPPONENTS IN NOVEMBER
In their five matchups in the month of November, Saint Mary's has yet to allow a team to hit over 0.200 after doing so just seven times in the first 20 contests of the season. This has been due in large part to strong defensive efforts both at the net and on the back row. For November, the Gaels are averaging 14.1 digs and 2.4 blocks per set as a team. Leading the charge in the back row has been Alayna Pearson, averaging 3.3 digs per set, however, Miley Thunstrom (2.6) and Abby Castillon (3.0) have both been major back row contributors. At the net, Tessa Schouten has played at another level, averaging 1.3 blocks per set, while the addition of Kaliko Kealoha to the lineup as an opposite over the last two matches has seen her average a block per set.
SENIOR SALUTE
As Saturday afternoon's contest will be the final home match of the season for the Gaels, they will take the time to honor their six graduating seniors in a pregame ceremony. Those seniors are Genevieve Bane, Abby Castillon, Hailee Garcia, Katherine Gee, Mia Paulson and Madi Zorn. A setter transfer from Santa Monica College, Mia Paulson has been a key part of the Gaels setter rotation at practice over the last two years, and while she has not seen any time on the court in a match, has played a big role in the Gaels growth as a team over the past two seasons. Katherine Gee transferred in at the same time as Paulson, coming in from Feather River College. Gee has seen time as the starting libero and as a defensive specialist, tallying 197 digs over 40 matches played. Madi Zorn worked her way into the starting 6-2 setter rotation last year, and has shined for the Gaels. With over 300 assists in each of those two years, and closing in on triple digit digs in each of those seasons as well, Zorn has been a stalwart at the setter position for the Gaels. Hailee Garcia has seen action as 6-2 setter since her freshman year. While suffering a season-ending injury prior to the start of this year, Garcia still managed to tally over 1100 assists, 74 aces and 461 digs in three years of action for the Gaels. Outside hitter Abby Castillon has been an ultimate swiss army knife in her four years of action. Whether it's been her explosive offense, netting 340 kills, or her steadfast defense, giving her 554 digs and 66 blocks in her career, she has always been a person the Gaels have turned to whenever they need a momentum changing play. Likely to go down in the history books as one of the best to every wear a Gael uniform, Genevieve Bane will close out her five year Saint Mary's career in the top-10 in program history for kills, attacks, aces and points. A two-time all-conference honoree, with a third nod likely on the way, Bane's veteran presence has been an incredible asset to the team throughout the coaching change heading into this season as well.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
When the Gaels and Pacific Tigers last met, the Gaels sat at 2-13 without a win in the WCC, while the Tigers held a 7-8 record and sat at 1-3 in the conference. The Gaels won the tightly contested match, 20-18 in the fifth, to jumpstart a six game win streak, while the Tigers won just one of their nine since. In 16 seasons at the helm, Head Coach Greg Gibbons has won fewer than 13 games just once, the Covid-19 shortened 2021 Spring season, however, it will now be twice, as even if the Tigers win out, they will have just 12 wins. Led by star outside hitter Olivia Keller, who has double the next closest player in kill totals, and ranks second on the team in digs, that has to be the goal for the Tigers to salvage what's been a difficult season. When they met in Stockton earlier this year, Keller did what she does, with 15 kills, but it was Gracie Vohs who stole the show with a career best 16 kills, hitting at 0.333 to lead the Gaels to victory. This will mark the 30th all-time meeting between these two programs, as the Gaels look to draw level in the all-time series that Pacific currently leads, 15-14.
ABOUT THE COUGARS
Still in the hunt for a share of the WCC title in their final year as a member of the conference, Washington State will get their first look at the Gaels in the second from the last week of the season. Head Coach Korey Schroeder won 16 matches in his first season at the helm, and has already won 16 this year in what has been a strong start to his head coaching career. Led by WCC hitting percentage leader (and third ranked hitter in the country) Lucie Blazkova, this year's Washington State squad looks primed and ready to push for that conference share. This is just the third time the Gaels and Cougs have met, as the Gaels look for their first all-time win against them.
DON'T MISS OUT ON HOME VOLLEYBALL ACTION. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE HERE.
#GaelsRise
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Pacific Tigers
Thursday, November 20 at 6:30 PM
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Washington State Cougars
Saturday, November 22 at 2 PM
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
MAKING LIFE TOUGH FOR OPPONENTS IN NOVEMBER
In their five matchups in the month of November, Saint Mary's has yet to allow a team to hit over 0.200 after doing so just seven times in the first 20 contests of the season. This has been due in large part to strong defensive efforts both at the net and on the back row. For November, the Gaels are averaging 14.1 digs and 2.4 blocks per set as a team. Leading the charge in the back row has been Alayna Pearson, averaging 3.3 digs per set, however, Miley Thunstrom (2.6) and Abby Castillon (3.0) have both been major back row contributors. At the net, Tessa Schouten has played at another level, averaging 1.3 blocks per set, while the addition of Kaliko Kealoha to the lineup as an opposite over the last two matches has seen her average a block per set.
SENIOR SALUTE
As Saturday afternoon's contest will be the final home match of the season for the Gaels, they will take the time to honor their six graduating seniors in a pregame ceremony. Those seniors are Genevieve Bane, Abby Castillon, Hailee Garcia, Katherine Gee, Mia Paulson and Madi Zorn. A setter transfer from Santa Monica College, Mia Paulson has been a key part of the Gaels setter rotation at practice over the last two years, and while she has not seen any time on the court in a match, has played a big role in the Gaels growth as a team over the past two seasons. Katherine Gee transferred in at the same time as Paulson, coming in from Feather River College. Gee has seen time as the starting libero and as a defensive specialist, tallying 197 digs over 40 matches played. Madi Zorn worked her way into the starting 6-2 setter rotation last year, and has shined for the Gaels. With over 300 assists in each of those two years, and closing in on triple digit digs in each of those seasons as well, Zorn has been a stalwart at the setter position for the Gaels. Hailee Garcia has seen action as 6-2 setter since her freshman year. While suffering a season-ending injury prior to the start of this year, Garcia still managed to tally over 1100 assists, 74 aces and 461 digs in three years of action for the Gaels. Outside hitter Abby Castillon has been an ultimate swiss army knife in her four years of action. Whether it's been her explosive offense, netting 340 kills, or her steadfast defense, giving her 554 digs and 66 blocks in her career, she has always been a person the Gaels have turned to whenever they need a momentum changing play. Likely to go down in the history books as one of the best to every wear a Gael uniform, Genevieve Bane will close out her five year Saint Mary's career in the top-10 in program history for kills, attacks, aces and points. A two-time all-conference honoree, with a third nod likely on the way, Bane's veteran presence has been an incredible asset to the team throughout the coaching change heading into this season as well.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
When the Gaels and Pacific Tigers last met, the Gaels sat at 2-13 without a win in the WCC, while the Tigers held a 7-8 record and sat at 1-3 in the conference. The Gaels won the tightly contested match, 20-18 in the fifth, to jumpstart a six game win streak, while the Tigers won just one of their nine since. In 16 seasons at the helm, Head Coach Greg Gibbons has won fewer than 13 games just once, the Covid-19 shortened 2021 Spring season, however, it will now be twice, as even if the Tigers win out, they will have just 12 wins. Led by star outside hitter Olivia Keller, who has double the next closest player in kill totals, and ranks second on the team in digs, that has to be the goal for the Tigers to salvage what's been a difficult season. When they met in Stockton earlier this year, Keller did what she does, with 15 kills, but it was Gracie Vohs who stole the show with a career best 16 kills, hitting at 0.333 to lead the Gaels to victory. This will mark the 30th all-time meeting between these two programs, as the Gaels look to draw level in the all-time series that Pacific currently leads, 15-14.
ABOUT THE COUGARS
Still in the hunt for a share of the WCC title in their final year as a member of the conference, Washington State will get their first look at the Gaels in the second from the last week of the season. Head Coach Korey Schroeder won 16 matches in his first season at the helm, and has already won 16 this year in what has been a strong start to his head coaching career. Led by WCC hitting percentage leader (and third ranked hitter in the country) Lucie Blazkova, this year's Washington State squad looks primed and ready to push for that conference share. This is just the third time the Gaels and Cougs have met, as the Gaels look for their first all-time win against them.
DON'T MISS OUT ON HOME VOLLEYBALL ACTION. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE HERE.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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