It was exactly the kind of tense, tight match Pacific volleyball head coach Greg Gibbons expected.
And his team won.
Gibbons said before Friday’s matchup with Saint Mary’s that the meetings between the Tigers and Gaels are always a “grinder” and usually go five sets. That’s exactly what happened as the Tigers won 17-25, 25-22, 25-21, 22-25, 15-11 in Moraga in the West Coast Conference opened for both squads.
Pacific (9-1, 1-0 WCC) have won three in a row and seven out of eight. But it wasn’t easy.
The Tigers dropped the first set came back to take the lead and watched Saint Mary’s (6-5, 0-1) rally before Riley Ramsey earned the final point on an assist from Hanne De Schrijver.