Nov. 16, 2002
Final Stats
Los Angeles, Calif. - Despite winning the opening game for the second time this season against No. 11 Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount University lost its seventh straight to the Broncos, 3-2 by scores of 29-31, 30-21, 32-34, 30-27, 15-12. The Lions drop to 15-10 overall, 6-6 in the West Coast Conference, while the Broncos upped their mark to 23-5, 11-2 in the league in front of 250 fans.
LMU led game one 18-17, but the Broncos scored five straight, capped by a Cindy Hirsh service ace to force a Lion timeout. The Lions rebounded to take a 25-24 lead on a Tiana Newsome kill. The two squads traded points until Kristen Gallup came up with a kill and the Broncos' Alyssa Lantz committed a hitting error giving the Lions the early advantage.
The Broncos responded jumping out to 5-1 lead the second game. The Lions were able to get within one point, but SCU was able to push its lead to as many as 10 at 27-17 before cruising to the 30-21 victory. The Broncos hit .351 in the second game after hitting just .189 in the opener.
The Lions took a 17-12 lead in the third stanza, but SCU got within one at 20-19, following a Becky Potter kill. The Broncos took a 21-19 lead following a pair of Lion errors. The game stayed extremely close and a Michelle Look kill gave LMU game point at 29-28, but SCU answered to tie the game. With the game knotted at 32, Courtney Chai ended a 10-play rally with a short dump for the point. A combination block by LMU's Gallup and Tiffany Self of Potter gave the Lions a 2-1 game lead.
The Lions could not equal the intensity they had in the third game to open the fourth, as the Broncos took a 19-13 lead. LMU was able claw back into the game at 21-19, following a Cassie Perret hitting error, but SCU scored nine of the next 17 points to tie the match.
The Lions took an 8-7 lead in the fifth and deciding game, following a Look kill. SCU scored seven of the next eight points to take a 14-9 lead, before Newsome was finally able to come up with a kill. Chai followed with a service ace forcing a Bronco timeout. A Jody Carlson kill made it 14-12, but a Chai service error gave the Broncos the victory.
Gallup posted a team-high 25 kills in her final game in Gersten Pavilion, while coming up with 16 digs. Carlson added 20 kills, while Look had 16. Liz Samson had a team-high 18 digs. In just her second start of the season, Chai dished out 63 assists. In her last two matches, 115 assists. Chai and Kealani Kimball also had 16 digs.
Potter had a match-high 34 kills, while Lantz added 19 for Santa Clara. Senior Cindy Hirsh had a match-high 29 digs, while Kelli Sousa had an outstanding 70 assists.
The Lions will wrap up their season next weekend when they travel to Moraga to take on Saint Mary's, Friday at 7 p.m. LMU will then head to San Diego for a 7:30 p.m. match with the Toreros on Saturday.
