Thursday, October 22
Moraga, CA
6:30 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
vs
Denver
Antonie Kelnarova has tied the program single season record with 50 aces
Photo by: Ayanna Williams/SMC Athletics
VB | First Place Gaels Look to Make Some History Against Denver and San Diego
10/20/2026 12:43:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
MORAGA, Calif. — The Gaels are on quite a roll! After picking up back-to-back reverse sweep road victories over San Francisco and Santa Clara last week, a program first, Saint Mary's now holds sole possession of first place in the WCC by half a game. The Gaels will look to keep or extend that lead with a pair of home contests against Denver (Oct. 22) and San Diego (Oct. 24). A win against Denver would tie the Gaels for best conference start in program history, while a subsequent win over San Diego would give them a new program record for best conference start through 10 games.
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Denver Pioneers
Thursday, October 22 at 6:30 p.m.
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. San Diego Toreros
Saturday, October 24 at 2 p.m.
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
LOOKING TO MAKE HISTORY, TEAM EDITION
The Gaels will have a chance to tie the program record for best conference start on Thursday night, with a chance to go 8-1 with a win over Denver. A win over the Pioneers would then give them the chance to move to 9-1 with a win over San Diego, which would set a new program high water mark. The two wins would also keep the Gaels in first place in the WCC through ten games, the latest into a WCC season that Saint Mary's would sit atop the standings in program history. The Gaels current record for best conference start dates back to 2012, when they started 8-1 and finished 12-2, good for second in the final conference standings.
LOOKING TO MAKE HISTORY, TONIE EDITION
Antonie Kelnarova will have the chance to make a little history herself this week, needing just one more ace to break the program's single season ace record. Currently, Kelnarova sits tied with Alexsa Parker for most aces in a single season with 50. Parker set this record back in the 2018 campaign. Parker's record, however, is not the only one that Kelnarova will be chasing, as she needs just seven more aces to set a new West Coast Conference single season ace record (rally era).
ABOUT THE PIONEERS
The Gaels and Pioneers will square off as WCC foes for the second time this season after Saint Mary's defeated Denver in the Mile High City, 3-1, back on September 26. That loss for Denver started a three game skid, but since the Pioneers have won their last two coming into Thursday night's clash. Fourth year Head Coach Megan Pendergast has her squad at 10-9, and looks to keep her team trending in the right direction, as she is in search of her third winning season in four years at the helm. The Pioneers lead the WCC in digs per set, due in large part to their star libero Madison Winkler, who leads the conference in total digs and digs per set. That was on display against the Gaels a little less than a month ago, when she dug 18 balls in the four set loss. These two programs have met just twice in program history, with Denver winning the first meeting on a neutral floor in 2018, and the Gaels picking up a road win earlier this season.
ABOUT THE TOREROS
The reigning WCC champs have not had as easy of a time with their conference slate here in 2026, already with three conference losses after going unbeaten a year ago. One of those loses came to the Gaels in the conference opener back on September 24 in five sets. At 9-8 overall, this is the worst start for the Toreros under Head Coach Jennifer Petrie since 2018, when the team started 7-9 before winning 11 of its final 15 and advancing to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. This year's Torero's squad is all about defense, leading the WCC with a stellar 0.152 opponent's hitting percentage, and ranking second in digs per set and blocks per set. Libero Lauren Lynch and middle blocker Meghan Scholz have led that charge, ranking second in the conference in digs per set and blocks per set respectively. Lynch recorded 14 digs against the Gaels, while Scholz had seven blocks when the two sides met up at Jenny Craig Pavilion, but it was the Gaels who had the last word in that one, flipping a 14-10 deficit in the fifth set into a 16-14 set five victory. All-time, San Diego leads the series 66-15, with the Gaels picking up their first win in eight years against the Toreros a little less than a month ago.
Don't miss a second of Saint Mary's Volleyball action in 2026! Tickets are on sale here!
#GaelsRise
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Denver Pioneers
Thursday, October 22 at 6:30 p.m.
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. San Diego Toreros
Saturday, October 24 at 2 p.m.
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
LOOKING TO MAKE HISTORY, TEAM EDITION
The Gaels will have a chance to tie the program record for best conference start on Thursday night, with a chance to go 8-1 with a win over Denver. A win over the Pioneers would then give them the chance to move to 9-1 with a win over San Diego, which would set a new program high water mark. The two wins would also keep the Gaels in first place in the WCC through ten games, the latest into a WCC season that Saint Mary's would sit atop the standings in program history. The Gaels current record for best conference start dates back to 2012, when they started 8-1 and finished 12-2, good for second in the final conference standings.
LOOKING TO MAKE HISTORY, TONIE EDITION
Antonie Kelnarova will have the chance to make a little history herself this week, needing just one more ace to break the program's single season ace record. Currently, Kelnarova sits tied with Alexsa Parker for most aces in a single season with 50. Parker set this record back in the 2018 campaign. Parker's record, however, is not the only one that Kelnarova will be chasing, as she needs just seven more aces to set a new West Coast Conference single season ace record (rally era).
ABOUT THE PIONEERS
The Gaels and Pioneers will square off as WCC foes for the second time this season after Saint Mary's defeated Denver in the Mile High City, 3-1, back on September 26. That loss for Denver started a three game skid, but since the Pioneers have won their last two coming into Thursday night's clash. Fourth year Head Coach Megan Pendergast has her squad at 10-9, and looks to keep her team trending in the right direction, as she is in search of her third winning season in four years at the helm. The Pioneers lead the WCC in digs per set, due in large part to their star libero Madison Winkler, who leads the conference in total digs and digs per set. That was on display against the Gaels a little less than a month ago, when she dug 18 balls in the four set loss. These two programs have met just twice in program history, with Denver winning the first meeting on a neutral floor in 2018, and the Gaels picking up a road win earlier this season.
ABOUT THE TOREROS
The reigning WCC champs have not had as easy of a time with their conference slate here in 2026, already with three conference losses after going unbeaten a year ago. One of those loses came to the Gaels in the conference opener back on September 24 in five sets. At 9-8 overall, this is the worst start for the Toreros under Head Coach Jennifer Petrie since 2018, when the team started 7-9 before winning 11 of its final 15 and advancing to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. This year's Torero's squad is all about defense, leading the WCC with a stellar 0.152 opponent's hitting percentage, and ranking second in digs per set and blocks per set. Libero Lauren Lynch and middle blocker Meghan Scholz have led that charge, ranking second in the conference in digs per set and blocks per set respectively. Lynch recorded 14 digs against the Gaels, while Scholz had seven blocks when the two sides met up at Jenny Craig Pavilion, but it was the Gaels who had the last word in that one, flipping a 14-10 deficit in the fifth set into a 16-14 set five victory. All-time, San Diego leads the series 66-15, with the Gaels picking up their first win in eight years against the Toreros a little less than a month ago.
Don't miss a second of Saint Mary's Volleyball action in 2026! Tickets are on sale here!
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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