Oct. 16, 2010

Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -

The LMU volleyball team (12-8, 4-1) recorded its second sweep in as many matches, this time besting Gonzaga (2-20, 0-6) in three sets by scores of 25-22, 25-11, 25-22 on Saturday afternoon. The 4-1 start in WCC play is the best for the Lions since starting the 2004 conference slate with a 4-1 mark.

Junior Jasmine Rankins was stellar on Saturday afternoon, posting a match-high 13 kills with just two errors on 24 attacks for a .458 hitting percentage. Freshman Alyse Hensley notched 12 kills of her own, committing just three errors en route to hitting .346. Sophomore Felicia Arriola rounded-out the three Lions with double-digit kills, posting 11. Setter Olivia Bailey passed-out 40 assists en route to guiding LMU to a .330 team hitting percentage. The native of Dallas, Texas served-up two of LMU's six service aces, while Arriola managed three aces and teamed her 11 kills with a match-high tying 10 digs for a double-double. Junior Lauren DeGrandmont posted seven digs serving as libero, but managed a number of crucial digs and passes in the third and final set.

Terran Poindexter posted eight kills for Gonzaga in the loss, while Jessie Genger added six kills. Denise Van de Mortel dished-out 21 assists as the Bulldogs hit just .108 as a team over the course of the three sets. Both teams managed eight team blocks, including block solos from Megan Nash and Rankins for the Lions, and Caitlin Cozad and Poindexter for Gonzaga.

Rankins and Hensley came out swinging in the first set, posting six and five kills, respectively. Arriola got the serving off on the right foot, notching two of her three aces in the first set alone. The two teams played to nine tie scores and three lead changes before LMU eventually took the set, 25-22. Gonzaga led at 13-11 before the Lions elected to use a timeout. The break served the team well, as LMU rebounded to take a three-point lead at 17-14 on a Gonzaga ball-handling error. Gonzaga cut the deficit back to one point at 20-19, but The Lions managed to score five of the final eight points en route to the win on a Rankins kill.

The Lions led the entire way in the second set, out-hitting Gonzaga, .467-.000. Hensley posted six kills on just nine swings to lead LMU to the win. Rankins, Arriola and Bailey all served-up an ace in the set, while LMU teamed for two blocks. The Lions won the first four points and never looked back, earning a double-digit lead at 17-7 on a Hensley kill. LMU ran away with the set from there, reaching the 20-point plateau on an Arriola kill. After running the set to its final point on a Gonzaga attack error, Bailey recorded a kill to hand LMU the 25-11 victory.

LMU completed the sweep of Gonzaga with a 25-22 victory in the third set. The Lions hit .297 in the period while holding the Bulldogs to just a .086 mark on the other side of the net. Arriola finished strong on Saturday, recording six kills on 13 attacks. Rankins also completed the match in style, posting her final five kills on just nine attacks in the third. Both teams managed four blocks in the set, including a block solo and one block assist from Nash. As they did in the first set, the two teams played close pretty much throughout the third period. The Lions trailed early at 11-8 before evening the tally at 14 en route to taking a lead at 15-14 and forcing a Bulldog timeout. After trading a couple of points, LMU began its run to victory, earning a 19-16 advantage on a Gonzaga attack error. The lead shrunk to just two points at 22-20, but LMU managed to hang in and finish strong, earning three of the final five points in the set to earn the sweep.

The Lions return to action on Thursday when they travel to San Diego for a West Coast Conference match.