Gonzaga Volleyball Shows Inconsistencies, But Keeps Pace in WCC
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Kate Herrick sets up Taylor Walsh for an attack against Saint Mary’s on Oct. 18, 2025 at Charlotte Y. Martin Centre. Credit: Gonzaga Athletics/Instagram [/caption]
After being predicted to finish 11th, second to last in the WCC Preseason Poll, Gonzaga volleyball (10-8, 3-4) has certainly played above its skis to begin the 2025 campaign. The Zags have already earned more conference wins than the last three seasons combined (two). Under first-year head coach JT Wenger, the Bulldogs seem to be making progress on the little things and minute details that have plagued the program in recent times. Still, the team isn’t without its inconsistencies at times, and the Zags volleyball of old creeps back into their play.
GU is 2-3 in its last five matches, as the team was swept by both Washington State and Oregon State on the road to begin that stretch. The Bulldogs didn’t eclipse 20 points in any of their sets against the Cougars, while they hit a meager .067 in their loss to the Beavers. But the Zags responded upon returning to the Charlotte Y. Martin Centre, downing Seattle University and Loyola Marymount in five and four sets, respectively. Star outside hitter Sjakkie Donkers had 38 combined kills in her team’s two wins.
The five-game period concluded with a four-set loss to Saint Mary’s – a team that rosters 10 freshmen – where the Zags couldn’t carry their momentum after taking the first set. They hit just .118 overall while not being able to contain Mya Allen, who racked up 24 kills for SMC and is fresh off being named the WCC Freshman of the Week, the first-ever Gael to do so.
Right now, the Zags are riding the rollercoaster of a rebuilding program, but they aren’t being thrown off the ride like in previous seasons.
The Aces of Autumn Larson
From the viewer’s perspective, the action of serving and starting the volleyball can seem insignificant and have little effect on the outcome of a volley. But every serve has a meticulous process to it, from placing the ball in the most advantageous location on the other side to putting the right amount of English on it to make it difficult for the opponent to dig it out. A brisk transition of switching the side who serves is done when it isn’t executed correctly, and in years past, points given away on service errors have been an Achilles heel for the Zags.
But senior Autumn Larson has always seemed to have a knack for landing the ball in no-man’s land or in a way where other teams can’t receive. In 2024, she led the conference in aces per set (.40) and has even been better this season, ranking third in the WCC with .44 aces per set.
To boot, the experienced outside hitter notched her 100th kill of the season during the loss to Saint Mary’s, as she is hitting at the best rate of her career (.173)
Kate Herrick Returns to Form Following Concussion
Sophomore setter Kate Herrick missed four matches following the Bulldogs’ win over Eastern Washington after suffering a concussion. It led to more run for junior Nia Damuni, who performed admirably with the increased playing time. But in Herrick’s return to the floor, she has shown why she and Damuni can make up one of the more dynamic setting duos in the conference.
Herrick recorded at least 25 assists in a five-match span that ended with the team’s win over LMU. She also eclipsed her career-high during this stretch in that final game against the Lions, racking up 31 assists. Herrick still led the team with 18 assists in the most recent game against the Gaels.
The Zags are tied for fifth in hitting percentage in the WCC, and part of that is the team’s setters placing balls on a tee for their hitters. With Herrick back in action following the concussion, Wenger can keep his setters fresh, heightening the offensive potential of his squad.
Consistency Continues to Shuffle on the Outside Behind Sjakkie Donkers
The run of Sjakkie Donkers sitting atop the WCC leaderboard in kills per set (4.03) is now over, with San Diego’s Nemo Beach dethroning Donkers, dropping one of the newest Zags to a mere second place. But she still leads the charge for the Bulldogs’ offensive attack, as Donkers has totaled double-digit kills in 13 of the team’s 18 matches this season and in four out of the seven conference games.
But she isn’t lighting up the other side of the floor with the repeatability that she flashed in non-conference play. She gets a lot of cracks at the apple, and since her blazing start to the season, Donkers’ hitting percentages can range from above .400 to below .100. With opponents prioritizing focus on the UT Arlington transfer since she’s shown prominence from the outside, it has called for others to step up and provide production from the hitter position.
But the trail behind Donkers shows a unique face each match. One day, the player who ups her game is senior Fallon Thompson. Then the next, it’s freshman Kelly McAuley, who continues to get regular opportunities. Larson and middle hitter Taylor Walsh also get their respective times to shine near the net.
The ever-fluent rotation is a method that Wenger is comfortable with, but it can rear its ugly head when Donkers isn’t on her game. She is hitting .299 when the Zags win, but that number drops to .186 in the Bulldogs’ losses.
Finding consistent performance in all phases of the game will aid the Bulldogs in finishing an already successful season strong. The Zags will be back on the road for their next two matches, first versus Santa Clara on Thursday, October 23, at 6 PM PT, before facing off against San Francisco on October 25 at 12 pm.
