On Thursday, Gonzaga University volleyball lost to\u00a0the Fresno State Bulldogs 3-2 at the Charlotte Y. Martin Center.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Both teams came into this match hungry for their first Pac-12 conference win, but GU (5-13, 0-6) unfortunately fell to Fresno State (6-11, 1-5) in a back and forth battle. GU lost the first set 25-19 but battled back to win the second and third sets. The fourth and fifth sets featured a ton of physicality, but Fresno State ultimately\u00a0came out on top 26-24 and 16-14.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the first set,\u00a0Dani Clewis was all over the court, from setting it up to Claire Wagstaff to a pair of heads up blocks to tie the set at 8. Taylor Walsh additionally\u00a0had a couple of kills in this set to keep GU alive. After a 4-0 run by Fresno State, the deficit was up to seven, which ultimately would be too much for GU to handle, falling in\u00a0the first set 25-19.<\/p>\n
Clewis got GU started with a serve for the first point of the second set. Niki Clausen made herself present in this set with a few blocks at the net and a kill. A Wagstaff kill gave the Zags the lead 12-9. Brianna Martin came in and delivered on her serves, giving GU a 6 point lead late into the set. GU did not look back and won the set 25-16.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The third set started hot with a Veronica Sorenson kill followed by a kill from Lucy Slavik. Fresno State\u00a0gained\u00a0momentum early with a 5-0 run, then\u00a0followed it up with a 6-0 run to make it 12-6. However, GU did not let this get to them and ultimately tied it four times this set. Clewis and Clausen became an unstoppable wall late in this set and swayed the momentum toward GU, going up 22-20 and forcing a Fresno State timeout. Sorenson then took it upon herself to end the set with back to back kills to win 25-21. \u00a0<\/p>\n
The fourth set started with a long rally ending in a point for GU, followed shortly after by a Wagstaff kill to go up 3-1 in the set. However, Fresno State\u00a0went on another long run and found themselves up by five late in the set. GU climbed themselves back though after a couple Fresno State\u00a0mistakes and a Clewis service ace, tying it at 22. However,\u00a0it would not be enough, with GU falling 26-24 to force a fifth set.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The fifth set was back and forth, featuring 8 ties and 4 lead changes. GU ultimately had no answers for Fresno State’s Jenna Legault, who leads the Pac-12 in service aces. Clewis had a heads up block to keep GU within one point followed by a Wagstaff kill down the line to tie it at 14. However, Fresno State would go on to win the next two points to win the match.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201c14-16 in the fifth, it was close, I think we didn\u2019t take good enough care of the ball. Neither team really did, but we came out on the wrong side of this one,\u201d Head Coach JT Wenger said. \u201cMost important game of the year is the next one. That\u2019s kind of our motto\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n