DENVER, Colo. — The Saint Mary’s College of California Gaels women’s volleyball team defeated the Denver Pioneers 3-1 on September 26, 2026, handing Denver their first home loss of the season and beginning West Coast Conference play with a 2-0 record for the first time since 2022.
The match was competitive, with set scores of 25-23, 25-18, 24-26 and 28-26. The Gaels took the first two sets before Denver rallied to win the third set. The fourth set featured back-and-forth play with Saint Mary’s ultimately securing the victory.
Leading the Gaels offensively was outside hitter Layne Dent, who recorded 23 kills and matched her career-best with seven digs. Setter Sadie White maintained her career-long double-double streak with 46 assists and 14 digs. Middle blocker Anaya Thrower contributed 11 kills with a .450 hitting percentage and added three blocks.
Antonie Kelnarova served two aces to move into the top-10 in Saint Mary’s single-season service aces with 39. The team hit a season-best .281 as a group, with multiple players hitting above .300.
Saint Mary’s will continue conference play on the road next week at Loyola Marymount University on October 1, followed by Pepperdine University on October 3. Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.
CSB Take
Saint Mary’s Gaels women’s volleyball team demonstrated strong offensive depth and resilience with their road win over Denver, stopping the Pioneers’ undefeated home streak. Layne Dent’s powerful performance and Sadie White’s continued consistency underscore the team’s balanced playstyle. Opening conference play 2-0 with consecutive road victories positions the Gaels well for a competitive season in the West Coast Conference as they look to maintain their momentum.
Source: Original report
