Box Score Oct. 30, 2010
Box Score
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -
The LMU volleyball team (14-10, 6-3) defeated Santa Clara (12-11, 3-6) in four sets on Saturday by scores of 25-21, 24-26, 25-20, 25-15. The Lions hit .216 as a team, while holding Santa Clara to a .099 mark on the other side of the net.
Saturday's match was LMU's annual DiG PiNK match benefitting the fight against breast cancer. Fans were able to donate to the cause at the match, but for those fans still wanting to donate, please visit: http://www.side-out.org/application/teams/team_page/1213
Freshman Alyse Hensley had a career-best 18 kills on 37 attacks for a .432 hitting percentage to lead all players. Junior Jasmine Rankins managed 14 kills and two service aces, helping lead LMU to five aces on the day. Senior Megan Nash, who finished with seven kills, had a pair of solo blocks. Setter Olivia Bailey also had two solo blocks, teaming that mark with a match-best 47 assists. Freshman Betsi Metter led the Lions on defense, posting a team-best 13 digs.
Kaleigh Durket had a team-best 13 kills for Santa Clara, teaming that mark with a block solo and three block assists. Emily Burke had the only double-double of the match, combining 23 assists with 15 digs. Dana Knudsen was active on the block, posting a block solo and six block assists.
LMU won a well-fought first set by a score of 25-21, benefitting from four kills on just nine swings from Hensley in the opener. The Lions and Broncos played to eight tie scores and seven lead changes in the first, as four different Santa Clara players had a pair of kills. Neither team hit for an efficient percentage, as LMU posted a mark of .095 to SCU's -.067. Despite the low hitting percentage, Santa Clara utilized five team blocks to not only stay in the set, but lead as late as 20-19. A Bronco attack error allowed the Lions to even the set at 20 points, and LMU did not look back from there, scoring five of the last six points in the set to earn a 1-0 lead in the match score.
The Lions held a seemingly commanding 21-16 lead late in the second set, but Santa Clara managed to mount a rally to take the set at 26-24. Hensley once again led the Lions in the set, collecting five kills on 10 swings, but the Lions hit just .057 in the period. Kayla Lommori had five kills of her own to lead Santa Clara to a .189 hitting percentage. Knudsen continued to be active on the block, matching her total of three block assists from the first set in the second. Even closer than the first set, the two teams played to 13 tie scores and nine lead changes in the second, including tie scores at 21, 22, 23 and 24. Santa Clara, which posted five team blocks for the second straight set, received the final two points of the period via block, as Knudsen teamed with Durket before recording a block solo to take the period.
After claiming another 21-16 lead in the third period to force a Santa Clara timeout, the Lions were this time able to close out the set with a 25-20 victory on a Rankins kill. LMU benefitted from four kills apiece from Kenna Crouse, Felicia Arriola and Hensley in the period. Unlike in the previous two sets, LMU hit for an efficient .351 percentage in the third period. After not recording a service ace in the first set, the Lions made it two consecutive periods with a pair as Nash and Rankins each collected one. The Broncos, who hit .281 as a team in the set, were led by Durket with four kills on just six swings. Although the set proved fairly close throughout, with the two teams playing to 10 tie scores, LMU did not trail from 13-13 forward. Carrying a 19-16 lead, LMU scored three straight points to advance the lead to 22-16. The Lions cruised from there, as Arriola, Crouse and Rankins each had a kill down the stretch.
The Lions turned in their best set of the day in the fourth, hitting .364 en route to a lopsided 25-15 win. Rankins finished strong with six kill and just one error on 11 swings with one ace, while Hensley connected for five kills on nine attacks. Durket did her best to try to force a fifth set, finishing the fourth with five kills on nine attacks, but LMU managed to stay at least five points ahead from 12-7 on. After advancing the lead to 23-15, LMU won the final two points on a Hensley kill and a Bronco attack error.
The Lions return to action on November 4 when they host Cal State Bakersfield in Gersten Pavilion at 7 p.m.
