Saturday, November 22
Moraga, CA
2:00 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
11-16,9-7WCC
3
vs
0
Washington State
16-10,10-6WCC
1
2
3
F
Washington St.
17
23
17
0
Saint Mary's (CA)
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
VB | Gaels Celebrate Senior Day with a Sweep of Washington State
11/22/2025 5:32:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
MORAGA, Calif. — For the first time in program history, the Saint Mary's Gaels (11-16, 9-7 WCC) defeated the Washington State Cougars (16-10, 10-6 WCC), and did so in front of countless family members and friends on senior day for a game that the six graduating Gael seniors will never forget. The win guarantees the Gaels at least a 0.500 record in conference play, and pushed Saint Mary's beyond their win total from last year.
The Gaels played inspired volleyball from the get-go, as after playing to a five all stalemate in set one, they went on a 7-2 run to take a 12-7 lead that they would not relinquish, taking the set 25-17. Saint Mary's hit 0.393 in set one, led by a three kills on four swings without an error from Tessa Schouten. Defensively, the Gaels passed extremely well, with 17 digs, led by five from Abby Castillon.
Set two got quite a bit tighter, with Washington State pushing ahead 15-12 in the hunt to draw things level at a set a piece. The Gaels would flip the script with an 11-5 run to push ahead 23-20, and while the Cougars got it to a one point deficit at 24-23, a Tessa Schouten solo stuff would end the set in favor of the Gaels. The offense took a step back in set three, hitting at just 0.163, with Miley Thunstrom doing most of the heavy lifting with three kills on eight swings without an error, it was the defense that made life tough on the Cougs, holding them to a 0.103 clip thanks to eight digs from Alayna Pearson and four blocks from Tessa Schouten.
While the Gaels hit a set three lull on Thursday night in their four set win, it was a set three surge this afternoon, as the Gaels, after falling behind 4-0 to start the set, rallied back to take the lead at 14-12, before closing the match out on an 11-5 run to secure their third sweep victory of the year. While they hit a solid 0.393 in set one, the Gaels were even more impressive in set three, hitting 0.448 in third. Senior Genevieve Bane led the charge with four kills on five swings without an error.
While no Gael tallied double-digit kills, six different Saint Mary's players tallied at least five, led by nine each from Genevieve Bane and Miley Thunstrom. Thunstrom added an ace and 10 digs, coming up one kill shy of her second straight double-double. On her senior day, Madi Zorn led the setter rotation with 19 assists and an ace, while Ivona Lazovic had 17 helpers and an ace. Alayna Pearson led the Gaels both from the service line with two aces, and on the back row, with 14 digs. At the net, Tessa Schouten logged a career-high four solo stuffs, while Layne Dent, making her second collegiate start, tallied three solo blocks. With 55 digs as a team today, the Gaels set a new season high averaging 18.3 digs per set for the match.
MORE DOMINANT DEFENSE
The Gaels continue to be a defensive juggernaut in the month of November, holding their seventh consecutive opponent to a sub-0.200 hitting clip. Washington State hit at 0.125, their third lowest mark of the season, as they struggled to kill the ball against the stout Gael back row that tallied 55 digs in the three setter. Alayna Pearson led the charge with 14 digs. She now is averaging 3.40 digs per set for the season. Miley Thunstrom joined Pearson in double-digit dig land with 10, while Abby Castillon finished with nine. At the net, the Gaels went for eight blocks, matching their highest tally in a three set match this season. Tessa Schouten led the way with four solo stuffs, while Layne Dent recorded three and Abby Castillon chipped in one.
KEEPING THE COUGS OFF BALANCE
Gaels setters Madi Zorn and Ivona Lazovic did an incredible job distributing the attacks amongst the six Gaels hitters tonight, with each one of them swinging at least 11 times and each recording at least five kills. This kept the Washington State back row off balance, allowing the Gaels to hit 0.302. Genevieve Bane led the charge with nine kills hitting at 0.368, while Miley Thunstrom finished with nine and a 0.348 clip. Layne Dent led the team hitting at 0.429 with seven kills, and Kaliko Kealoha hit 0.364 with six. Rounding out the group, Tessa Schouten and Abby Castillon each tallied five kills.
COACHES CORNER
UP NEXT
The Gaels will hit the road for Southern California for Thanksgiving week, as they will play at LMU on Wednesday, November 26 and Pepperdine on Saturday, November 29.
DON'T MISS OUT ON HOME VOLLEYBALL ACTION. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE HERE.
#GaelsRise
The Gaels played inspired volleyball from the get-go, as after playing to a five all stalemate in set one, they went on a 7-2 run to take a 12-7 lead that they would not relinquish, taking the set 25-17. Saint Mary's hit 0.393 in set one, led by a three kills on four swings without an error from Tessa Schouten. Defensively, the Gaels passed extremely well, with 17 digs, led by five from Abby Castillon.
Tessa Schouten with the Kill!#GaelsRise pic.twitter.com/AoMBxe56TJ
— Saint Mary's Volleyball (@SMC_Volleyball) November 22, 2025
S1 | SMC 25 - WSU 17
— Saint Mary's Volleyball (@SMC_Volleyball) November 22, 2025
The Gaels take Set 1 as Tessa Schouten, Miley Thunstrom, and Genevieve Bane combine for nine kills!
Stick around for Set 2 🤩
📺 https://t.co/cAGDn2UG75
📊 https://t.co/eDXnElZyR3#GaelsRise pic.twitter.com/4thwSFzrQL
Set two got quite a bit tighter, with Washington State pushing ahead 15-12 in the hunt to draw things level at a set a piece. The Gaels would flip the script with an 11-5 run to push ahead 23-20, and while the Cougars got it to a one point deficit at 24-23, a Tessa Schouten solo stuff would end the set in favor of the Gaels. The offense took a step back in set three, hitting at just 0.163, with Miley Thunstrom doing most of the heavy lifting with three kills on eight swings without an error, it was the defense that made life tough on the Cougs, holding them to a 0.103 clip thanks to eight digs from Alayna Pearson and four blocks from Tessa Schouten.
You already KNOW Tessa Schouten's at the Gael Block Party 🥳#GaelsRise pic.twitter.com/FUbHQvqBOt
— Saint Mary's Volleyball (@SMC_Volleyball) November 22, 2025
Tessa Schouten shuts it DOWN after a long rally 😤#GaelsRise pic.twitter.com/kOclzfQart
— Saint Mary's Volleyball (@SMC_Volleyball) November 22, 2025
S2 | SMC 25 - WSU 23
— Saint Mary's Volleyball (@SMC_Volleyball) November 22, 2025
BIG THINGS HAPPENING IN UCU 🗣️
The Gaels are up 2-0 on the Cougars as we head to Set 3!#GaelsRise pic.twitter.com/X87LWV7h5w
While the Gaels hit a set three lull on Thursday night in their four set win, it was a set three surge this afternoon, as the Gaels, after falling behind 4-0 to start the set, rallied back to take the lead at 14-12, before closing the match out on an 11-5 run to secure their third sweep victory of the year. While they hit a solid 0.393 in set one, the Gaels were even more impressive in set three, hitting 0.448 in third. Senior Genevieve Bane led the charge with four kills on five swings without an error.
While no Gael tallied double-digit kills, six different Saint Mary's players tallied at least five, led by nine each from Genevieve Bane and Miley Thunstrom. Thunstrom added an ace and 10 digs, coming up one kill shy of her second straight double-double. On her senior day, Madi Zorn led the setter rotation with 19 assists and an ace, while Ivona Lazovic had 17 helpers and an ace. Alayna Pearson led the Gaels both from the service line with two aces, and on the back row, with 14 digs. At the net, Tessa Schouten logged a career-high four solo stuffs, while Layne Dent, making her second collegiate start, tallied three solo blocks. With 55 digs as a team today, the Gaels set a new season high averaging 18.3 digs per set for the match.
MORE DOMINANT DEFENSE
The Gaels continue to be a defensive juggernaut in the month of November, holding their seventh consecutive opponent to a sub-0.200 hitting clip. Washington State hit at 0.125, their third lowest mark of the season, as they struggled to kill the ball against the stout Gael back row that tallied 55 digs in the three setter. Alayna Pearson led the charge with 14 digs. She now is averaging 3.40 digs per set for the season. Miley Thunstrom joined Pearson in double-digit dig land with 10, while Abby Castillon finished with nine. At the net, the Gaels went for eight blocks, matching their highest tally in a three set match this season. Tessa Schouten led the way with four solo stuffs, while Layne Dent recorded three and Abby Castillon chipped in one.
KEEPING THE COUGS OFF BALANCE
Gaels setters Madi Zorn and Ivona Lazovic did an incredible job distributing the attacks amongst the six Gaels hitters tonight, with each one of them swinging at least 11 times and each recording at least five kills. This kept the Washington State back row off balance, allowing the Gaels to hit 0.302. Genevieve Bane led the charge with nine kills hitting at 0.368, while Miley Thunstrom finished with nine and a 0.348 clip. Layne Dent led the team hitting at 0.429 with seven kills, and Kaliko Kealoha hit 0.364 with six. Rounding out the group, Tessa Schouten and Abby Castillon each tallied five kills.
COACHES CORNER
UP NEXT
The Gaels will hit the road for Southern California for Thanksgiving week, as they will play at LMU on Wednesday, November 26 and Pepperdine on Saturday, November 29.
DON'T MISS OUT ON HOME VOLLEYBALL ACTION. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE HERE.
#GaelsRise
Team Stats
WSU
SMC
Kills
36
42
Errors
20
10
Attempts
128
106
Hitting %
.125
.302
Points
47.0
55.0
Assists
31
39
Aces
5
5
Blocks
6
8
Game Leaders
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
9
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballS
/ Women's VolleyballL/DS
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballVB | Tyler Hildebrand Postgame Presser vs. Washington State 2025
Saturday, November 22
VB | Highlights vs. Washington State, 11-22-25
Saturday, November 22
VB | Tyler Hildebrand Postgame Presser vs. Pacific, 11-20-25
Thursday, November 20
VB | Highlights vs. Pacific, 11-20-25
Thursday, November 20
