Nov. 22, 2005

Box Score

Los Angeles, Calif. - Loyola Marymount topped UC Santa Barbara in almost every statistical category, but it was the Gauchos (19-8) that left Gersten Pavilion with the 3-1 win Tuesday evening. The contest concluded the regular season for the Lions, who await Sunday's NCAA tournament selection show with a record of 19-10.

The Lions tallied more blocks, kills, digs, assists, and hit better as a team, but ended up on the short end of the 30-24, 16-30, 30-26, 30-26 match. The Gauchos' 10 service aces was the only significant difference, with Olivia Waldowski leading the way with four.

LMU tied the match at 1-1 after dominating the second game, out-hitting UCSB .385 to .083. The Lions allowed just 16 points to win game two 30-16.

But UCSB earned back-to-back game wins, both by a score of 30-26. Game four proved to be a game of streaks, as the Gauchos broke a 22-22 tie by winning seven straight points for game point at 29-22. But LMU answered with a streak of its own behind the serving of freshman Emily Day. Day served the Lions to four consecutive points that featured kills by Heather Hughes, Christianna Reneau, and Day, and a block by Hughes and Erin Downey. The Lions' run was just short though, as UCSB closed the match with the 30-26 win. The Gauchos hit their best as a team in that final game, with a .280 clip.

Four Lions finished with double-digit kills, including Reneau (16 kills, .324, 19 digs), Hughes (13 kills, .407, 31 assists), Day (13 kills, 21 digs), and Dina DeBernardi (12 kills, .346, five blocks). Downey added seven blocks.

UC Santa Barbara, who sits just outside the nation's top-25 in this week's poll, was led by Janine Sandell's 26 kills and 12 digs.

LMU, who has made two straight NCAA appearances, will await Sunday's selection show to learn its postseason fate. The show will air on ESPNews at 11:30 a.m. Pacific time.

-GO LIONS-