Volleyball Splits WCC Openers

By Henry Gula

The Santa Clara women's volleyball team split its first two league games at home, topping Gonzaga on Thursday before falling to 18th-ranked San Diego on Saturday. 

The Broncos finished the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 10-4 record, and now sit at 11-5.

"We've been doing really well," said middle blocker Megan Anders. "What we've been doing in practice is really showing in the games, both in the points and in the overall wins."

The Broncos win over Gonzaga was by a score of three sets to one, but two days later they split the first two sets with San Diego before dropping the next two and the match. 

"As much as a loss hurts, the game went well because it really shows how we can compete with a highly ranked team," said Anders referencing the San Diego game. 

Fourteenth year head coach Jon Wallace explained that playing a team like San Diego helps you learn what you have to work on. 

"Whenever you play a good team it exposes weaknesses, and we've identified them," he said. 

Wallace, like Anders, seems confident in his team. "After that match and our preseason, we believe that if we play a certain style and with a certain emotion, we can beat anyone in our conference," Wallace said. 

The Broncos (1-1) are currently tied for fourth place in the West Coast Conference.

Santa Clara is not currently ranked in the top 25, but Anders believes that they are "definitely in the top of the WCC." Wallace also mentioned that he thinks the top seven in the conference is the best he has ever seen.

Six of the nine WCC teams currently have a winning record, and seven of the nine have at least one conference win already. 

Anders thinks at least five WCC teams could make the NCAA tournament this year.

"Right now it is still within our control to get there," Anders added, "We have some good competition, but that's the fun part: to beat teams like Pepperdine and Brigham Young University"

Wallace cited multiple players who have been providing him with leadership and the confidence he has in his team.  

"Megan Anders has taken an enormous step to be one of the best players in the conference," said Wallace. "She is feeding off of all of her success and is playing at a high level, and I'm really pleased to see that." 

Wallace also identified sophomore outside hitter Taylor Milton as another important role-player for the Broncos this year. "She's been carrying a huge load across several positions," he said. 

The team is still waiting for seniors Lexi Williamson and Kayla Lommori to fully heal from injuries. "When they get back to one hundred percent they will make a big impact," said Wallace. 

The Broncos will next host an important game against Pepperdine this Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Leavey Center. Anders said she and her teammates appreciate the support they have received from their fans. 

"The fans did a great job," said Anders. "On the court, I can feel the support of the Ruff Riders. I want to thank them because they do help us out a lot." 

Contact Henry Gula at hgula@scu.edu or call (617) 910-7305.