VB | Gaels Roll to 5-1 in Conference Play with Four Set Win Over Portland

Saturday, October 10

Moraga, CA

2:00 PM

Saint Mary's College of California

10-8,5-1WCC

Portland

10-4,3-2WCC

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Portland	20	16	26	19	1
Saint Mary's (CA)	25	25	24	25	3

Highlights

Natalie Peete: 4 Digs, 4 Aces (ties career-high)

Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner

VB | Gaels Roll to 5-1 in Conference Play with Four Set Win Over Portland

10/10/2026 6:23:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Highlights

MORAGA, Calif. — The Saint Mary's Gaels continue to prove to be one of the most formidable sides in the West Coast Conference, now having won five of their first six conference contests after downing Portland 3-1 today. The Gaels now sit at 10-8 overall this season, the fastest that they've reached double-digit victories since 2021.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Saint Mary's dictated how this contest would go from the get go, not trailing until the third set. After playing to a 14-14 stalemate in set one, the Gaels would rattle off three straight kills and not look back, en route to a 25-20 set one win. Set two opened with a 4-0 run from the Gaels as they led wire-to-wire in that frame, taking a commanding 2-0 lead after taking set two 25-16. Through two sets, the Gaels had a trio of players, Antonie Kelnarova, Layne Dent and Anaya Thrower, combining for 20 kills.

Ahead 20-17, the Gaels looked to be on their way to their second straight home sweep, but Portland would close things out on a 9-4 run to force a fourth frame. In set four, however, the Gaels returned to form, never trailing once again, taking the set 25-19, and the match 3-1. Over the final two sets, Kelnarova continued to star, with 10 additional kills.

GAME NOTES

Saint Mary's has now won three straight matches for the first time this season.
In that stretch, the Gaels are hitting 0.288 as a team, well above their season number of 0.185.
Antonie Kelnarova (17 Kills) and Layne Dent (11 Kills) once again led the Gael attack, falling just short of their seventh match combining for 30+ kills.
For the fifth time this season, and first time in conference play, the Gaels recorded double-digit aces, with 14 as a team, the third most in a four set match and ninth most in any match in program history.
Alayna Pearson had five of those 14, a new single game career-high, while Natalie Peete recorded a career-high tying four.
Sadie White recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 40 assists and 13 digs.
Kelnorova surpassed 300 points for the year, and recorded three more aces, giving her 46, the second most in a single season in program history. She is four aces away from tying and five away from breaking the program record of 50, owned by Alexsa Parker.

QUOTABLE

UP NEXT
The Gaels will enjoy a more local road trip on Thursday, heading across the Bay Bridge to take on San Francisco. First serve for the match on October 15 is set for 6 p.m. and can be streamed live on ESPN+.

Don't miss a second of Saint Mary's Volleyball action in 2026! Tickets are on sale here!

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