Volleyball holds top spot in WCC

By Margo Consul

Santa Clara's women's volleyball team has played in four conference matches and have come out on top each time.

They now have an overall record of 12-3 and own the No. 1 spot in the West Coast Conference.

The squad goes up against the University of San Diego on Thursday Oct. 16th at 8 p.m. in the Leavey Center, and the game will be televised on ESPNU.

The team is looking to once again contend for the WCC title.

In the competitive history between these two teams, Santa Clara leads with 30 wins compared to USD's 16.

The Toreros have dropped five spots to No. 20 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association top-25 poll after falling to San Francisco this past week.

Santa Clara jumped from No. 20 to No. 18 with their sweeps over Portland and Gonzaga.

"It's really exciting since the AVCA poll isn't usually nice to us and they are actually giving us some credit this year. So it's really exciting to be ranked," senior Brittany Lowe said. "We beat so many good teams last year and we were like why not us?"

USD was voted as the early favorite to win the WCC this year, although Santa Clara shared the conference title with them last season.

The Broncos were voted third in a preseason poll as voted on my coaches in the WCC.

"We are focusing on the bigger picture: we want to win conference this year," senior Anna Cmaylo said.

"We know that these two matches this week against San Diego first, and then looking past San Diego to University of San Francisco on Saturday. We just have to remember that they are good but that they are beatable."

The Broncos have plenty of fire power to match the Toreros. Santa Clara has found the right balance of each element and has created a strong bond that has yet to be broken.

A solid backline will be key for Santa Clara to come out on top on Thursday.

"When you get good passes, it makes your entire offense better," Cmaylo said.

Senior Taylor O'Brien played impressively this weekend against Gonzaga, earning the match-high 11 digs. She also leads the team with a season total 182 digs.

Lowe is right behind O'Brien with 125 digs.

Freshman Libby Morrison has also made quite the impression with 108 digs -- which is third on the team.

Sophomore Kim Courtney is fifth on the team with 63 digs, and she also served up two aces against Gonzaga.

"We can run a really quick and consistent offense off of Taylor, Brittany, Libby," said Cmaylo. "They all pass nails all the time and it's great," the middle blocker added.

With junior Lindsy Davigeadono running the offense, the Broncos have seen a lot of success.

Santa Clara will especially be counting on Davigeadono when they face the Toreros.

"The fact that she has come into an entirely new position and is doing a phenomenal job is just really impressive, and it's owed to her really hard work," Cmaylo said.

Davigeadono has a team-leading 602 assists, while directing the Broncos' offense to a .293 attack percentage.

"My goal every game is just to go with whatever Lindsy dishes out and to make the most of it," Cmaylo said. "I think Lindsy is doing a great job because her sets are butter all the time and I love it."

With the combination of a solid back line and a setter who can use it, the Broncos are just that more dangerous.

"As long as we play our game and go out there with a will to win, we can do it, just taking one game a time no matter what they throw at us," Cmaylo said.

Contact Margo Consul at (408) 551-1918 or mconsul@scu.edu.