WACO, Tex. – The Gaels (1-5) closed out their three game road trip to Waco with arguably their best showing of the weekend, falling to RV Rice (2-2) in three sets. In a weekend that was much about the Gaels growth and team chemistry, the squad showed tangible improvements from match one to match three on the weekend, in what was likely their most challenging week of the season. 

Despite a 6-1 start from Rice in set one, the Gaels remained strong in their resolve, keeping the Owls within arms reach in set one. Saint Mary's would cut the early five point deficit to just two at 13-11, with four of their first 11 points coming off of Kaliko Kealoha kills. The Owls would pull away from that point with a 4-0 run, but the Gaels would twice get back within four at 20-16 and 22-18 before Rice would close out the set on a 3-0 clinching run. Kealoha was the star of the set for the Gaels, converting six swings into five kills with no errors, while Miley Thunstrom, getting her first start of the weekend, chipped in three kills and six digs. 

The Gaels would pick up their first lead of the match in set two, as Gracie Vohs opened the frame with a kill, but, down 1-0, Rice would score the next seven points, winning set two two in dominant fashion, 25-11. Vohs, and Mya Allen, both of whom sat the entirety of set one, led the Gaels in set two with three kills apiece, while Alayna Pearson came to life on the defensive front with five digs, after being limited to just two in the opening stanza. 

One of the Gaels best showings of the entire weekend came in the third and final set of this one, cutting an early seven point hole into just two at 21-19 late in the frame, but Rice was able to take four of the final five points of the match to pick up their second victory and second sweep of the season. Mya Allen was the driving force of the Gaels attack in set three, coming up with five kills on 14 swings, while Alayna Pearson stayed red hot with eight digs, keeping the Gaels hopes alive throughout the final set. 

A quartet of Gaels combined for 27 of 33 kills. Mya Allen led the charge in her home state of Texas, with eight on 20 swings and just two errors for a career best 0.300 clip. Allen also recorded her first collegiate block in the match. Right behind Allen was Kaliko Kealoha, making her second straight start. Kealoha set a new career best with seven kills, doing so on just 14 swings. With six kills each were Gracie Vohs and Miley Thunstrom to round out the big four for the Gaels today. Vohs finished hitting at 0.313, while Thunstrom added 13 digs to her statline, showing her abilities on both sides of the net. After reaching triple digit assists yesterday, Ivona Lazovic led the team today with 26 more, while also recording an ace for the fourth straight contest, tying her for the team lead with nine. Alayna Pearson also logged an ace, while leading the team with 15 digs. With 44 digs in the three set match today, the Gaels set a new season best, averaging 14.7 digs per set, their best since last season's finale at San Diego, when they had 46 in a three set match. 

BUSY DAY FOR THUNSTROM
In her first start of the weekend, Miley Thunstrom proved not only to be the Gaels most often used hitter, but also to be one of their best defensive player. Thunstrom led the team with 32 swings, converting those into six kills, and also finished second on the team with 13 digs. Both the 32 attacks and 13 digs were new career highs for the freshman out of Murrieta. Thunstrom, along with libero Alayna Pearson were a big reason as to why the Gaels averaged 14.7 digs per set in this one. 

WEEKEND IN REVIEW
While the Gaels will leave Waco with an 0-3 record at the Baylor Classic, there are plenty of positives to focus on as the team continues to find their strengths and weaknesses inching closer towards conference play. Gracie Vohs led the Gaels for the weekend with 16 kills, while freshman Mya Allen, back home in the Lone Star State, went for 14 kills in just six sets to pace SMC with a 2.33 kills per set average. Allen's fellow freshman teammate Ivona Lazovic led the team with 49 assists and three aces, while Alayna Pearson was stellar in the back row, averaging 4.56 digs per set for the weekend. As a team, it was the Gaels defense that demonstrated the most growth, jumping from averaging 10.21 digs per set in their first weekend, to 12.22 this weekend. 

UP NEXT
The Gaels will return home before heading back to the Southwest next weekend for a pair of games in Norman, Oklahoma against the Sooners. Both of those games will start at 4 PM PST on September 12 and 13. 

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