No. 10 volleyball wins WCC title
By Brian Witter
On Saturday night in Spokane, the volleyball team not only defeated league rival Gonzaga in an exhilarating five-game match, but the 22-1 powerhouse also clinched the WCC title with their victory and a Saint Mary's loss to LMU.
Head Coach Jon Wallace and the Broncos broke two trends with their win over the Bulldogs last weekend. The squad won their first WCC championship since 2000 and also won their 15th consecutive game, a new record for the program. Perhaps the biggest milestone for Santa Clara volleyball, though, came when the AVCA national rankings were released and placed the Broncos at No. 10, their highest ranking ever.
"All along, our goal has been to win conference," said Wallace, now in his seventh year. "Our campaign started last January in the offseason and this team has been blessed with a group of girls willing to put an immense amount of time and effort into their game. Obviously, it's paid off since I think this is the earliest someone has ever clinched the league title."
Saturday night, the Broncos had somewhat of a scare as they lost the first two games of the match, 28-30 and 26-30, while hitting only .188. The only other match in which the team lost two games was their solo loss at Utah on Sept. 17. To counterattack the consistent Bulldog offense, Santa Clara stepped it up at the front of the net and hit .381 and .412 in the third and fifth games to ensure a win in a marathon match which lasted just over two hours.
Before the postseason begins this year, however, there are a few threats to the Broncos' spotless WCC record which now stands at 11-0. On Friday, Santa Clara will face off against No. 22 San Diego at the Jenny Craig Pavilion in San Diego. The Toreros will be seeking retribution for a defeat the Broncos dealt them at the Leavey Center on Oct. 15. The following week, the team will play two home games against Saint Mary's and San Francisco before the start of the postseason in December.
Wallace is convinced that the team needs stability to have success in the postseason.
"(Middle blocker) Anna Cmaylo recently sprained her ankle, so she'll be out of commission for two weeks, which will give some of the other girls a chance to step up. I really think, though, that we need to keep reinforcing the things that we've been doing great all year. If we continue to pass, set and hit effectively, this team will remain both smooth offensively and hungry defensively."
Game time on Friday is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Contact Brian Witter at (408) 551-1918 or bwitter@scu.edu.