Nov. 28, 2009

Box Score

LONG BEACH, Calif. - LMU (12-17) hit just .018 over three sets en route to being swept in its season finale against Long Beach State (21-8) on the road on Saturday afternoon. The Lions fell by scores of 25-15, 25-17, 25-11 to the 2009 Big West Champions.

Sophomore Ariana Covington proved to be the offensive highlight for LMU, collecting eight kills to lead the squad. Fellow sophomore, Jasmine Rankins, pitched-in six of her own, but no other Lion had more than four on the day. Freshman Nikki Lane set the Lion offense, dishing-out 23 assists and one service ace, the lone ace for the Lions on Saturday. Junior Megan Nash had the best all-around performance for the Lions, teaming four kills with 13 digs, a block solo and three block assists for a total of 6.5 points.

Brittney Herzog led all players with 12 kills on 19 swings for a stellar .526 hitting percentage. Naomi Washington added eight more for the 49ers, while Ashley Lee had six on 13 attacks for a .385 hitting percentage. Laura Schuck proved very effective from the service area, notching four aces, to accompany 12 digs. Lee set the offense for LBSU, passing-out 28 assists to help Long Beach to a .252 hitting percentage. Long Beach showed skill on the block, collecting 12.5 total team blocks, led by a block solo and seven block assists from Michelle Osunbor.

Jocelyn Neely and Herzog got things started in the right direction for LBSU in the first set, collecting three kills apiece to help earn a 25-15 victory. Long Beach led the entire way in the set, opening-up an early 10-4 lead on one of Schuck's three aces in the set. That lead extended to 17-11 on a Caitlin Ledoux kill to force a Lion timeout later in the period. The 49ers continued to push from there, earning a 10-point advantage at 22-12 on another Ledoux swing. The Lions managed to spoil two set-points at 24-13 and 24-14 before Herzog righted the ship with a kill from Lee to end the set.

After playing even to three points in the second set, LBSU once again ran away with a set victory at 25-17. Herzog notched five kills, accompanied by four apiece from Osunbor and Lee, to outweigh five from Covington in the second period. Outside of Covington's five, LMU managed only six more kills and hit .077 as a team. Tied at three apiece, Long Beach took control en route to taking an 11-5 lead on another Schuck service ace. The Lions continued to struggle, allowing the 49ers to move to 15-7 on three consecutive kills from Lee. LMU inched to within five points at 19-14 on a Kenna Crouse kill, and within four at 21-17, before Long Beach scored the final four points of the set, highlighted by a pair of kills from Herzog.

Long Beach State showed no mercy headed into the final period, quickly jumping-out to a 16-5 advantage. Washington had five kills on 12 swings in the final set to lead the way to the sweep for LBSU. Nash was the only Lion with more than one kill, totaling two, as LMU hit -.081 as a team. Four blocks, including a block solo and two block assists from Osunbor, also helped push the 49ers to victory. A Washington kill moved Long Beach to the 20-point plateau at 20-6, part of a six-point swing for LBSU from 16-6 to 22-6. The Lions managed to put up a fight from there, running the total to 22-10, but Long Beach State took the set and the match on a Washington kill a few points later.

The Lions finished the season with a 12-17 overall record, and a 3-11 mark in the WCC.