Box Score Aug. 27, 2010
Box Score | Photo Gallery 
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -
Click Here for a Postgame Interview with Head Coach Tom Black
LMU (0-1) was swept by No. 10 USC (1-0) on Friday to open the 2010 season at the Luxe City Center Trojan Invitational. LMU improved throughout the match, dropping straight sets, 25-12, 25-18, 25-19 on Friday night at USC's Galen Center.
Sophomore Felicia Arriola led all players with 10 kills on 29 swings, but it was USC's offense, which hit .263 as a team, that stood out on Friday. Lauren Williams was stellar for the Women of Troy, collecting seven kills on nine swings for a .667 hitting percentage. Four other USC players had five kills, including 2010's No. 1 recruit according to Prep Volleyball, Falyn Fonoimoana.
Junior Jasmine Rankins chipped-in nine kills for the Lions, who hit .037 as a team. Sophomore Olivia Bailey set the Lion offense all night, teaming 23 assists with one kill and seven digs. LMU's Lauren DeGrandmont and USC's Kendall Bateman led all players with 10 digs, while Bateman also passed-out a match-best 34 assists for a double-double.
The win was the 1,000th collegiate women's victory for USC head coach Mick Haley, who is now in his 34th year as a head coach with previous stops at the University of Texas and Kellogg Community College (Battle Creek, Michigan).
USC dominated the first set on Friday, jumping-out to an early 10-1 lead en route to the 25-12 set victory. Alex Jupiter and Williams each posted four kills in the set, guiding USC to a .306 team hitting percentage. Jupiter also pitched-in three of her four match service aces and both of her block solos in the first set. Arriola paced the Lions, notching three kills on 10 swings, and a set-best five digs.
The Trojans once again shot out of the gates in the second set, claiming a 6-0 lead early. The Lions managed to cut the deficit to 7-5 on a Rankins kill, but USC gradually built the lead back en route to winning by seven points at 25-18. Three different USC players had three kills in the second set, including Kirby Burnham who did so on just four attacks. Jupiter, who did not appear in the third set, finished strong with a kill and her final service ace in the period.
After the intermission between the second and third sets, LMU came out strong. The Lions pushed No. 10 USC the entire way in the final period, a set that saw 10 tie scores and three lead changes. The two teams traded blows to 14-14 before an Arriola attack error and a Zoe Garrett kill forced a Lion timeout at 16-14. USC would continue to push from there, running the tally to 20-15, before LMU responded to cut the deficit to two points on an Emily Cheek kill and a USC attack error, resulting in the first and only USC timeout of the match. Haley's comments during the break must have relaxed his players, as USC emerged from the huddle and scored each of the last four points to earn a sweep of the Lions.
LMU finishes play at the Luxe City Center Trojan Invitational tomorrow when it squares-off against Cal State Fullerton (12 p.m.) and Bucknell (5 p.m.).
