Broncos Storm Back to Beat Saint Mary’s

Saturday, August 27

Boise, Idaho

2 p.m. MT

Boise State

2-0,0-0Mountain West

Saint Mary's

0-2,0-0WCC

Saint Mary's (CA)

Boise St.

Photo by: Boise State University Creation

8/27/2022 6:01:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Boise State rallied from a set down to win three straight sets to claim a 3-1 victory over the Gaels.

By: Courtesy: Boise State Athletics

BOISE, Idaho – Lauren Ohlinger and Jordan Miller combined for 33 points to lead Boise State volleyball's rally from a set down to defeat the Saint Mary's Gaels 3-1 (20-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-17) Saturday afternoon at Bronco Gym. The win completed the weekend sweep of the Gaels by the Broncos who improved to 2-0 on the season.

Saint Mary's opened the match fast racing out to an 8-1 lead in set one and eventually took the frame by five 25-20.

The Blue and Orange stormed back taking the final three sets to claim the victory. Boise State used runs midway through the second and third sets to outpace the Gaels. The Broncos' blue wall was big once again recording 13.5 blocks on the day including four straight that helped spark a 12-1 Boise State run early in the fourth set that put the match away.

Quotables
Jordan Miller, Outside Hitter

On starting the season 2-0. "It's just the best feeling ever. I mean, being a sophomore and being able to help the seniors go out with a win go out with a bang, and to start the season off that strong really shows us what we're all capable of for the rest of the season."
What was the difference in the second set after losing the first? "I think it was that we came out a little bit sloppy in the first, so we just needed to key in on assignments, make sure we were disciplined and make sure that we were doing all the right things. That we were doing our job correctly."

Shawn Garus, Head Coach

What did you learn about your team this weekend in both these games? "I would say a teachable moment. We didn't come out as focused as we needed to. I think it ends up being like coach speak sometimes like, hey, don't take them too lightly, and I think we did in the first set today.
"But credit to St. Mary's, they didn't come out at the start of the match like they're a team that was sad that they lost the night before. They came out and tried to play aggressively, and it worked.
"I think our freshmen were a little tight early on. We just played from behind early, and that's not our style. We want to be the aggressor out there. But it shows a little bit of our character when the team is down the first set, then comes back and wins the next three. I'm so proud of the result, but it's definitely going to be something we will learn from."

Top Broncos

Jordan Miller led the Broncos with a career-high 18 with two block assists to finish with a team and career-best 19 points.
Lauren Ohlinger recorded her first double-double of the season on 13 kills and team-high 17 digs…she also had two block assists to finish with 14 points.
Ashley Hayden distributed a career-high 43 assists in the match and had the Broncos hitting .277 percent versus the Gaels.
Allison Casillas added a team-second-best 16 digs.

Notables

Lauren Ohlinger joined Boise State's 1,000 career kills club with her first kill of the day…she is the 16th Bronco in history to reach that milestone and the first since Sabryn Roberts (2015-18) who had 1,292.
Kayly Pau saw her first action of the year recording four kills on five attempts.
Boise State's Blue Wall – ranked second nationally for total blocks in 2021 – had another stellar performance on Saturday tallying 13.5 blocks, eight different Broncos recorded at least one block led by Chey Day with six and Hayden with a career-high five.
The stout Bronco defense held the Gaels to .127 percent hitting; they held them to .018 percent Friday night…the D also finished the weekend with 26.5 total blocks.

Next Up

Boise State will hit the road next for the Long Beach State Tournament featuring Notre Dame and Long Beach State. The Broncos will play LBSU on Thursday, then the Fighting Irish on Friday.