Sept. 11, 2009

Box Score | Photo Gallery

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - LMU (5-2) defeated Houston (1-8) on Friday night in five sets, 28-26, 23-25, 25-23, 19-25, 15-9, in both teams' first match of the 2009 Crowne Plaza LAX Tournament that is being hosted by LMU over the weekend. Serving proved to be a small issue for LMU, serving-up 16 service errors, to allow the Cougars to hang close.

Freshman Alaina Bergsma led the Lion attack, which hit .215 over the course of the marathon match, with 20 kills on 59 attacks. The native of Chandler, Ariz. also pitched-in one block solo, four block assists, two service aces and 10 digs to record a double-double. Fellow freshman, Kenna Crouse, was right behind Bergsma's lead, collecting 19 kills on 40 attacks and posting two service aces. Becky Stehling once again hit for a high percentage, finishing with 18 kills on 30 attacks for a .433 percentage. Setter Alesha Young also collected a double-double, teaming 46 assists with 11 digs.

Kinsey Cave proved to be a very reliable option for Houston, connecting at a .370 rate for a match-high 24 kills on 54 attacks. Cave nearly missed a double-double, collecting nine digs. Erin Rice followed Cave with 14 kills. Tara Roenicke set the Cougar offense, passing-out 45 assists and helping Houston to a .211 team hitting percentage. The Cougar block was in full force on Friday, notching 13 total team blocks, led by five block assists from Rice and Ashley Applequist.

Crouse, Bergsma and Stehling came out strong in the first set, teaming for 14 kills in the Lion victory. Crouse and Stehling notched five apiece, while Bergsma connected for four on 10 swings. Crouse and Bergsma also notched a service ace to help the Lions to the win. As virtually every set on Friday would be, the first set was close between the two teams. LMU earned a 12-8 lead on an attack error before advancing the deficit to 17-12 on Crouse's ace. That lead would not last the entire set, however, as the Cougars scratched back to even at 24 by fending-off four set points, highlighted by two Cave kills. Houston would also earn a set point at 26-25, but the Lions managed to score the next three points to earn the victory.

Set two saw more of Crouse and Bergsma offensively, with Crouse posting five more kills to Bergsma's four. Young picked up her defensive game in the set, digging-up eight balls to keep the Lions close before falling 25-23. Cave notched four kills to lead the Cougar charge, as the two teams played a very even set two. The squads battled to ties at eight, 11, 13 and 15 before Houston earned a 20-17 lead on a Rice kill. The Lions managed to even the tally at 21 and 22, but a Bergsma attack error sent the set to its final point. Cave sealed the deal for Houston two points later, finding the floor for the final kill of the set.

A quartet of Lions collected three kills in the third set, as Crouse, Stehling, Bergsma and Jasmine Rankins each collected three. Crouse and freshman Olivia Bailey each notched an ace to further help LMU to the 25-23 set win. Cave was the Cougar offense in the third, collecting 10 of her 24 kills in that set alone. As with set two, the play was pretty even throughout the third. The Lions looked destined to run away with the set early, earning a 12-6 advantage on a Cougar attack error. That lead was quickly erased as Houston found life to even the tally at 12. The two teams seemingly traded blows from there before LMU took the set on an attack error and a kill from Rankins.

The fourth set proved to the most lopsided of all, as Houston earned a 25-19 victory, led by four kills apiece from Cave and Rice. Crouse and Bergsma had little trouble in the set, collecting six and five kills, respectively, but LMU as a team could not overcome Houston. After playing to a 10-10 tie, the Cougars won 10 of the next 15 points to take a 20-15 advantage on a Marluci Toazzi kill. The Lions elected to take a timeout at that point, but the break did little to slow momentum.

Determined to win the match in five, LMU came out strong in the final period. Stehling and Bergsma took the reins and guided LMU to the victory with four kills apiece in the race to 15 points. The Lions opened-up an early 7-2 lead on a Young kill to force a Cougar timeout. Houston did manage to inch back into the competition, coming within four points at 10-6, 12-8 and 13-9. After that final surge, LMU settled down to win the final two points on a kill by Megan Nash and a Bergsma service ace. The Lions took the final set, 15-9.

Action at the 2009 Crowne Plaza LAX Tournament continues with Houston taking on UC Irvine at 10:30 a.m. to open play tomorrow. The Lions return to the court with matches at 12:30 p.m. against Boise State and 7:30 p.m. against UC Irvine tomorrow.