Sept. 11, 2010

Box Score

PROVO, Utah - The LMU volleyball team (4-5) could not get things going against Houston (3-6) en route to being swept for the second time in as many matches on Saturday afternoon. The Lions, who dropped a three-set match to Wichita State earlier in the day, fell by scores of 25-19, 25-15, 25-23. With the loss, LMU finished the BYU Molten Classic winless in three matches.

The Lions managed just a .133 hitting percentage over the course of the three sets, allowing a .319 mark from Houston. Jasmine Rankins, who was named All-Tournament at the conclusion of play, and Felicia Arriola both posted nine kills in the loss, while freshman Paige Craine dished-out 27 assists as the Lions' only setter during the match. Arriola managed a match-high 17 digs, but 11 kills apiece from Stephanie Nwachukwu and Chandace Tryon proved too much for the Lions. As a team, Houston posted seven total blocks, led by five block assists from Lucy Charuk.

Sophomore Kenna Crouse managed four kills on nine attacks in the first set, accompanied by four kills on just six swings from Arriola, but it was Houston that earned a 25-19 set victory. Charuk posted four of her eight kills in the period as the Cougars out-hit LMU, .268-.212.

Houston dominated the second set, hitting a blistering .444 with 17 kills on 36 attacks with just one error. Nwachukwu led all players in the set with six kills on 11 attacks, while her teammate Ashley Applequist posted four kills on 13 swings. LMU had trouble getting the offense going on the other side of the net, hitting just .150 over the course of the set. Rankins and Arriola both notched three kills, but the Houston push was far too strong to resist.

Though the Cougars cooled-off a bit in the third set, LMU also went cold, hitting a lowly .031 with nine kills on 32 attacks with a match-high eight errors. Rankins committed just two errors while posting four kills on 12 attacks, but Houston's Ingrida Zauere highlighted the period with five kills on eight attacks to guide the Cougars to a .250 percentage. Despite the low hitting percentage, LMU stayed in the set the entire way, falling 25-23. Service aces from Craine, Becky Stehling and Betsi Metter all helped the Lions in the period, but Houston out-lasted the Lions for the sweep.

LMU will return to action, and return to Utah, next weekend when they visit Utah State for the Utah State Invitational sponsored by Gossner Foods. Action kicks-off on Friday at 9 a.m. PT as the Lions visit the host Aggies.