Thursday, November 5
Moraga, CA
6:30 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
vs
Pepperdine
Ava Galvan is coming off of a career-high six blocks vs Pacific
Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
11/3/2026 1:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
MORAGA, Calif. — As we enter the month of November, we are in the home stretch of the 2026 West Coast Conference volleyball slate, and Saint Mary's has arguably its two biggest contests of the season to open the month. The Gaels sit one game out of first place, and will host the two teams that are ahead of them in the standings by that single game margin, Pepperdine (Nov. 5) and LMU (Nov. 7). Two wins this week will guarantee the Gaels sole possession of first place in the conference with three weeks remaining in the season.Â
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. Pepperdine Waves
Thursday, November 5 at 6:30 p.m.
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.Â
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. LMU Lions
Saturday, November 7 at 2 p.m.
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.Â
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
PULLING AWAY FROM THE PACK
Now in the final month of the NCAA volleyball regular season, the WCC has seemed to become a four team race with four weeks to go. LMU and Pepperdine sit atop the standings, both with a single loss. The Waves were the first of the top two to go down, falling to Saint Mary's in four sets in Malibu back on Oct. 3. Pepperdine has not lost since, however, including a four set win over LMU inside Gersten Pavilion on Oct. 17. Saint Mary's is a game behind these two sides, with losses to the Lions and the fourth place San Diego Toreros. The Gaels do also have road wins over Pepperdine and San Diego. In fourth place, just two games out of first are the San Diego Toreros, who have fallen to all three of the teams in front of them in the WCC standings, but did rebound for a win against the Gaels in Moraga. Behind this Big Four, the next closest teams in the conference standings, Denver and Santa Clara, sit five games out of first with seven matches remaining in the season.Â
LOOKING TO CROSS 'EM ALL OFF
If the Gaels can defeat LMU on Saturday, it would be the first time since 2013 that Saint Mary's has picked up a win against every WCC opponent in a single season. In 2013, the Gaels went 18-9 and 13-5 in WCC play, good for third place.Â
ABOUT THE WAVES
Since falling to the Gaels a little over a month ago, Pepperdine has gone on a seven game unbeaten streak, dropping just three sets in those seven matches. With this run, the Waves are back in a tie for first place in the WCC, deadlocked with an LMU side that they beat during this seven match tear. 12th year head coach Scott Wong looks to keep this hot streak going, and lead his alma mater to their first WCC title since 2023. The Waves have proven to be one of the most elite blocking teams in the country, led by Ella Piskorz, who ranks 16th in the nation at 1.41 blocks per set. As a team, Pepperdine averages nearly three blocks per set, and recorded 15 against Saint Mary's in Malibu, but it was not enough to stop the surging Gaels, who won the match in four. That was just the 17th win for the Gaels all-time against Pepperdine in 77 total meetings.
ABOUT THE LIONS
LMU handed the Gaels their first WCC loss this season on the back of a 17 kills, seven dig performance from Maria Tabacuks. The Lions have looked a dominant force all season long, with just three losses all year, but one of those came at the hand of the Pepperdine Waves, leaving them in a deadlock with the Waves for first place in the WCC. Head coach Kolby O'Donnell has had quite the turnaround from year one, with his squad already almost tripling their win total of seven from a year ago. Tabacuks' big performance against the Gaels was a microcosm of the sophomore Oregon transfer's whole season, as the 6-4 pin hitter out of Cannes, France leads the team averaging 3.95 kills per set while adding a team-high 25 aces. In 78 all-time meeting, LMU leads 56-22, with the Gaels last win over LMU coming in 2021, and their last win over the Lions inside UCU Pavilion coming in 2017.Â
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. Pepperdine Waves
Thursday, November 5 at 6:30 p.m.
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.Â
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
Saint Mary's Gaels vs. LMU Lions
Saturday, November 7 at 2 p.m.
UCU Pavilion – Moraga, Calif.Â
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
PULLING AWAY FROM THE PACK
Now in the final month of the NCAA volleyball regular season, the WCC has seemed to become a four team race with four weeks to go. LMU and Pepperdine sit atop the standings, both with a single loss. The Waves were the first of the top two to go down, falling to Saint Mary's in four sets in Malibu back on Oct. 3. Pepperdine has not lost since, however, including a four set win over LMU inside Gersten Pavilion on Oct. 17. Saint Mary's is a game behind these two sides, with losses to the Lions and the fourth place San Diego Toreros. The Gaels do also have road wins over Pepperdine and San Diego. In fourth place, just two games out of first are the San Diego Toreros, who have fallen to all three of the teams in front of them in the WCC standings, but did rebound for a win against the Gaels in Moraga. Behind this Big Four, the next closest teams in the conference standings, Denver and Santa Clara, sit five games out of first with seven matches remaining in the season.Â
LOOKING TO CROSS 'EM ALL OFF
If the Gaels can defeat LMU on Saturday, it would be the first time since 2013 that Saint Mary's has picked up a win against every WCC opponent in a single season. In 2013, the Gaels went 18-9 and 13-5 in WCC play, good for third place.Â
ABOUT THE WAVES
Since falling to the Gaels a little over a month ago, Pepperdine has gone on a seven game unbeaten streak, dropping just three sets in those seven matches. With this run, the Waves are back in a tie for first place in the WCC, deadlocked with an LMU side that they beat during this seven match tear. 12th year head coach Scott Wong looks to keep this hot streak going, and lead his alma mater to their first WCC title since 2023. The Waves have proven to be one of the most elite blocking teams in the country, led by Ella Piskorz, who ranks 16th in the nation at 1.41 blocks per set. As a team, Pepperdine averages nearly three blocks per set, and recorded 15 against Saint Mary's in Malibu, but it was not enough to stop the surging Gaels, who won the match in four. That was just the 17th win for the Gaels all-time against Pepperdine in 77 total meetings.
ABOUT THE LIONS
LMU handed the Gaels their first WCC loss this season on the back of a 17 kills, seven dig performance from Maria Tabacuks. The Lions have looked a dominant force all season long, with just three losses all year, but one of those came at the hand of the Pepperdine Waves, leaving them in a deadlock with the Waves for first place in the WCC. Head coach Kolby O'Donnell has had quite the turnaround from year one, with his squad already almost tripling their win total of seven from a year ago. Tabacuks' big performance against the Gaels was a microcosm of the sophomore Oregon transfer's whole season, as the 6-4 pin hitter out of Cannes, France leads the team averaging 3.95 kills per set while adding a team-high 25 aces. In 78 all-time meeting, LMU leads 56-22, with the Gaels last win over LMU coming in 2021, and their last win over the Lions inside UCU Pavilion coming in 2017.Â
Don't miss a second of Saint Mary's Volleyball action in 2026! Tickets are on sale here!
#GaelsRise
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