University of Denver
8-6,1-1WCC
Saint Mary's
7-7,2-0WCC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Mary's (CA) | 25 | 25 | 24 | 28 | 3 |
| Denver | 23 | 18 | 26 | 26 | 1 |
Pioneers Fall to Saint Mary’s in Four Sets
9/26/2026 4:03:00 PM | Volleyball
DENVER – The University of Denver volleyball team battled Saint Mary's through four tightly contested sets on Saturday at Hamilton Gymnasium, ultimately falling to the Gaels, 23-25, 18-25, 26-24, 26-28, in its second West Coast Conference match of the season.
The Pioneers move to 8-6 overall and 1-1 in WCC play following their first conference loss of the season. Saint Mary's took the opening two sets before Denver responded with a 26-24 victory in the third. The Gaels then edged the Pioneers, 28-26, in an exciting fourth set that featured multiple ties and lead changes.
Alicia Thibodeau led Denver with 14 kills, while Elise Hart and Hailey Goebel each added nine. Lily Van Hal recorded 25 assists, while Ilayda Eren contributed 15. Madison Winkler paced the defense with 18 digs.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Denver battled through four sets, with the Pioneers earning a 26-24 victory in the third set to extend the match.
- The third set featured two ties and no lead changes after Denver took control, with the Pioneers overcoming a late Saint Mary's push to close out the frame.
- Denver pushed the fourth set to extra points, tying the frame at 26-26 before Saint Mary's scored the final two points to take the set, 28-26.
- The Pioneers hit .262 in the third set, recording 16 kills on 42 attempts.
STRONGEST SET
The third set was Denver's strongest offensive frame of the afternoon, as the Pioneers hit .262 with 16 kills and five errors on 42 attempts. Denver opened with a 4-0 lead and later built a 21-16 advantage. Saint Mary's cut the deficit to one at 23-22 and eventually tied at 24-24, but Denver held on late to take the set, 26-24.
LEADERS
Kills: Alicia Thibodeau (14), Elise Hart (9), Hailey Goebel (9)
Assists: Lily Van Hal (25), Ilayda Eren (15)
Digs: Madison Winkler (18)
NOTES
- Denver moves to 8-6 overall and 1-1 in WCC play.
- Saturday marked Denver's second WCC match and first WCC loss.
- Denver is now 5-1 at Hamilton Gymnasium this season.
- The Pioneers hit .158 for the match, while Saint Mary's hit .281.
- Denver's 16 kills in the third set were a match high for the Pioneers.
UP NEXT
The Pioneers will travel to California for a pair of WCC matches, beginning with a 1 p.m. MT matchup at San Diego on Saturday, Oct. 3. Denver will then face Pepperdine at 6 p.m. MT on Thursday, Oct. 8.
Ticket Information:
Tickets for the 2026 volleyball season are on sale now, and can be purchased here.
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of Denver's NCAA Division I sports.
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Volleyball on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Volleyball on Twitter
Follow @denverpioneers and @duvolleyball on Instagram
