Sept. 16, 2005

Box Score

Fullerton, Calif. - Loyola Marymount rallied to win two straight games at the end of a two hour, 15 minute thriller to earn the 3-2 (30-24, 26-30, 22-30, 30-19, 15-11) win over Southern Methodist University (5-6) Friday afternoon at the Hawthorne Suites Cal State Fullerton Invitational. Senior Dina DeBernardi made history in the LMU win, becoming the first Lion to reach 1,000 career kills and 300 career total blocks.

The win improved the Lions to 7-1 and 3-0 on a neutral court this season. LMU will continue tournament play tomorrow, taking on San Jose State at 3:00 p.m. and the host Titans at 7:30 p.m.

DeBernardi's 16 kills placed her exactly at the 1,000 career mark and made her the eighth Lion to reach the milestone. She had passed the 300 total block mark last week.

LMU trailed the Mustangs for the entire first half of game one. It took a six-point streak behind the serving of freshman Katie Glomb to tie SMU and take the lead at 18-15. Five straight points late in the game gave the Lions game point, and senior Dina DeBernardi secured the 30-24 game win with one of her five kills in game one. LMU hit .439 in game one, led by DeBernardi's .714 percentage.

In a reversal of game one, the Lions held the lead to begin the second game, taking a four point lead twice including at 12-8. But the Mustangs battled back to tie the game at 17 on a service ace by Whitney Salcer. Both teams hit an even .200, but SMU held on to the late-game momentum to take game two 30-26.

The Mustangs had their largest advantage in the third game, despite hitting just .176 as a team. SMU's Caitlin Rainbird's six kills led them to the30-22 game three win.

But the Lions turned it on in game four, beginning early when Heather Hughes and Michelle Look hustled into the stands to extend a point that the Lions later won. Hughes also closed the game, with her fourth kill of the game at 30-19.

LMU brought that momentum into the short fifth game, hitting .350 with K.C. Walsh at the helm of the offense. In addition to her setting, Walsh had three key kills of her own in the deciding fifth game that the Lions won 15-11.

Hughes and Walsh finished with double-doubles, with Hughes tallying 20 kills and 16 digs and Walsh adding 50 assists and 10 digs. The freshman setter was two kills short of LMU's first triple-double this season.

-GO LIONS-