Sept. 24, 2010

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Postmatch Interview with Coach Black

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The LMU volleyball team (7-7) was swept by No. 23 Long Beach State (10-3) in front of 523 fans in LMU's home opener on Friday night. The 49ers defeated the Lions by scores of 25-18, 25-16, 25-23.

Freshman Alyse Hensley collected nine kills in the loss for LMU, while junior Jasmine Rankins had seven kills on 28 attacks. Sophomore Felicia Arriola was slow to get going in the match, but did total five kills overall, including four in the final set alone. Usually an overpowering team from the service area, LMU managed just three service aces in the match, including two from freshman Paige Craine.

Caitlin Ledoux led all players with 15 kills, while a trio of 49er players collected eight in the win. Janisa Johnson had eight kills and five digs, while also adding the lone Long Beach State service ace. Long Beach State hit .337 over the course of the match as setter Ashley Lee led the team to that mark with 29 assists.

Ledoux and Johnson each collected five kills in the first set alone as Long Beach State hit .290 over the course of the first set. The Lions hit for a .000 percentage, notching eight kills and committing eight errors. Senior Megan Nash had three kills, but the No. 23 team in the nation proved too strong in the period. The Lions trailed early, falling behind 4-1, en route to seeing the gap widen to six points at 13-7. After a timeout, the Lions started to chip-away at the deficit, crawling to within three points at 14-11 and then within two at 15-13. Unfortunately for the Lions, Long Beach State took control from there, running the lead to 19-13 before taking the set on a Michelle Osunbor kill.

Five more kills from Ledoux, in conjunction with five from Haleigh Hampton, guided Long Beach to the victory in the second set. LBSU hit .273 while the Lions posted another .000 percentage with seven kills. Long Beach jumped-out to an early 9-0 lead before the Lions started to inch their way back, cutting the deficit to 15-10 on a Kenna Crouse kill. A Craine service ace ran the tally to 16-12, but Long Beach State managed to score four of the next five points to take a 20-13 lead. LMU scored its 16th point on a 49er attack error, but could not do any more damage as Long Beach scored the final three points unanswered to take the set.

In what proved to be a pretty good battle, Long Beach earned the sweep with a 25-23 third set victory. The Lions hit a healthy .375 in the period, but Long Beach State hit .432 to take the win. Hensley posted five kills in the final set, while Becky Stehling, Rankins and Arriola each had four. Ledoux once again led the 49ers, posting five kills on just 10 swings. After playing even to 19, Long Beach State managed to reach the 20-point plateau on a Hampton kill. The Lions managed to get back to even once again at 23, but kills from Johnson and Lee put the match away for good.

The Lions return to action on September 30 when they visit Santa Clara to start West Coast Conference play.