Oct. 24, 2009

Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -

Post-Match Quote from Freshman Alaina Bergsma

LMU (10-11, 1-6) snapped its eight-match losing streak on Saturday, defeating San Francisco (10-10, 4-3) at home in Gersten Pavilion in four sets, 21-25, 25-20, 25-12, 25-23. The match was also LMU's "DiG PiNK" match to benefit breast cancer research and the Side-Out Foundation. Donations can still be made online by visiting LMU's team page at www.side-out.org/application/teams/team_page/1213.

Freshman Alaina Bergsma led all players in the match with 24 kills on 60 attacks. She also pitched-in a service ace and team-best 15 digs to record a double-double. Freshman Kenna Crouse contributed 13 kills on 33 swings to finish second for the Lions in that category. Sophomore Alesha Young also posted a double-double, teaming a match-best 48 assists with 11 digs. Junior Becky Stehling led the Lions in hitting percentage, collecting seven kills and a percentage of .375.

Sarah Mandala, who led the WCC in kills-per-set and points-per-set entering this week, finished the match with 21 kills for USF. Leanna Ludes was the lone Don with a double-double, teaming 23 assists with 11 digs. The Dons hit just -.031 in the third set and .167 in the fourth en route to the loss.

Mandala and Bergsma squared-off in the first set, with Mandala collecting eight kills to Bergsma's six. USF earned the 25-21 victory in the period, highlighted by Mandala's eight kills on 17 attacks. Bergsma was equally as impressive, taking 14 swings for her six kills while also posting a set-best five digs. The first set, which saw 10 tie scores and two lead changes, was close virtually throughout. USF jumped-out to an early 6-1 lead, but LMU managed to even the tally at 9-9 with a run of its own. From there on, the two teams traded blows to 18-18 before the Dons posted the next two straight points to reach the 20-point plateau. An Erin Bragg attack error kept the set tied at 21 before USF rattled-off four unanswered points to close the period and earn the victory.

Bergsma came unglued in the second set, posting nine kills on 17 attacks to guide LMU to the set victory. Mandala and Hadley Simmons had five and four kills, respectively, for USF, but it was not enough to overcome the Lions. Ariana Covington, who finished the match with seven kills, teamed three kills and set-best six digs, to help push LMU to the win. The Lions never trailed in the set, but the teams battled to four tie scores, including the last at 12-12. The Lions won the next two points to force a USF timeout, en route to opening-up a 19-15 lead, highlighted by four Bergsma kills. The lead extended to 22-18 on a Crouse swing, resulting in the final USF timeout of the period. The break did little to slow momentum, as LMU cruised to the five-point victory on a pair of USF attack errors.

Carrying momentum from the set-two victory, LMU dominated USF in the third. The Lions hit .344 as a team, holding USF to a -.031 mark on the other side of the net. Bergsma contributed five kills and Crouse had four as LMU ran away with the period. The Lions led 10-3 early en route to opening-up a 20-8 lead on a Covington kill. LMU, which reached 23 points before USF managed to get to 10, fittingly earned its final two points on kills from Crouse and Bergsma.

Despite six kills from Mandala in the fourth set, LMU walked away with the match victory after winning the period, 25-23. As they did in the first set, the two teams battled throughout, resulting in 10 tie scores and three lead changes. Bergsma finished the final set with four kills, aided by Stehling with three on six attacks. After playing to a 10-10 tie, LMU claimed a four-point lead at 17-13 on a USF attack error. That lead was diminished to one point at 17-16 as Alaina Sully and Anna Berger each collected a kill, followed by a Bergsma attack error. The Dons took a lead at 20-19, but it lasted just one point as the Lions scored two unanswered en route to a 22-21 lead. After the Lions and Dons traded blows to 23, Crouse found the floor to hand LMU a match-point chance. Covington dropped back to serve for the Lions and promptly served-up her only ace of the match to hand LMU the win.

The Lions return to action on Thursday when they travel to Moraga, Calif. to square-off against Saint Mary's to open the second half of the conference schedule.