Oct. 21, 2010

Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The LMU volleyball team (12-9, 4-2) challenged No. 19 San Diego (16-4, 6-0) on Thursday night before falling in four sets, 25-10, 25-15, 23-25, 25-23. LMU led as late as 21-20 in the fourth, but could not force a fifth and decisive period.

Junior Jasmine Rankins posted 17 kills on 46 attacks for a .239 attack percentage to lead the Lions offensively. LMU hit just .174 over the course of the four sets, including an impressive .444 mark from senior Megan Nash, who managed five kills on nine swings with just one error. The Lions, a normally dominant team from the service area, served-up just two aces, both coming from freshman Betsi Metter. In addition, the Lions committed 11 service errors. Metter posted a team-high 14 digs, while sophomore Olivia Bailey dished-out 36 helpers.

Ali Troost had a remarkable match for USD, posting a match-best 25 kills on 39 attacks with just one error for an incredible .615 hitting percentage. The Toreros hit .320 as a team, as Kelsi Myers dished-out 49 assists in the victory. Myers teamed the assists with 12 digs for a double-double. Amy Degroot notched 13 kills with a team-high 18 digs and four block solos for the second Torero double-double of the match.

Troost came out strong in the first set, posting seven kills on nine swings to lead USD to a .478 hitting percentage in the opener. The Toreros never trailed in the first set en route to defeating the Lions, 25-10. The Lions, who managed only four kills, hit -.083 in the first set and did not reach 10 points until 21-10.

Although the set proved a bit closer than the first, the result was the same as the Toreros earned a lopsided double-digit victory at 25-15. Troost had six more kills on 11 swings, while teammate Degroot added three on seven attacks. Rankins posted four kills on 10 attacks for the Lions, who hit .000 in the second set. The Lions trailed by just three points at 15-12 before USD ran away with the set, scoring 10 of the last 13 points down the stretch.

LMU used an efficient .353 hitting percentage to earn a victory in the third set. Alyse Hensley and Rankins each posted five kills for the Lions, who earned the 25-23 decision. Degroot and Troost also had five kills to keep the set close, but USD hit just .190 over the course of the period. LMU trailed nearly the entire way in the third set before making a move late in the period. Trailing 18-14, LMU managed to scratch back to even at 22-22, forcing a USD timeout. A Hensley kill and a Torero attack error handed LMU the set-point chance, allowing Rankins to notch the final kill and win the set.

In what proved to be a very evenly-fought set, LMU dropped the fourth period by a count of 25-23. Rankins finished strong with seven kills, joined by four from Metter, as the Lions hit equal to USD at .342. Troost also had seven kills in the fourth, while also serving-up one of two aces for the Toreros in the set. USD and LMU played to seven tie scores and four lead changes, with the final tie at 23-23. The Lions led as late as 21-20, but could not close out the set and force a fifth and decisive period. Even at 23, San Diego received back-to-back kills from Troost and Chloe Ferrari to take the match.

The Lions return to action on Saturday afternoon when they visit Saint Mary's at 1 p.m.