Sept. 3, 2010

Box Score

MANHATTAN, Kan. - The LMU volleyball team (2-2) dropped its first match of the Varney's Kansas State Invitational on Friday in straight sets to host Kansas State (2-3), 25-21, 25-18, 25-21. The Lions led 18-15 in the final period, but Kansas State battled to take the third and the match.

LMU, which entered the week ranked first in the conference in opponent's hitting percentage, allowed just a .182 mark, but hit just .066 on the offensive side en route to the loss. Jasmine Rankins led the Lion offensive charge, collecting a double-double of a match-best 11 kills and 10 digs while also pitching-in an assist and one service ace. Sophomore Felicia Arriola narrowly missed a double-double, posting seven kills and 11 digs. Sophomore Olivia Bailey posted 20 assists, a block solo and two block assists, while LMU's freshman setter Paige Craine also made the most of her time on the floor, notching three assists, two service aces and a block assist in just one set played. The Lions, who entered the week ranked second in the WCC in aces, managed six as a team.

Kathleen Ludwig guided the K-State offense to victory, posting a team-high tying nine kills on 15 attacks for a .533 hitting percentage. JuliAnne Chisholm also added nine kills, teaming the mark with four digs and four block assists. Setter Caitlyn Donahue was stellar on Friday, dishing-out 33 assists while also serving-up four aces with six digs. Kansas State was impressive on the block, posting 26 team block assists, led by Alex Muff and Kaitlynn Pelger with six apiece.

The Lions never led over the course of the first two sets, as Chisholm posted five kills in the first set alone. Donahue got to work from the service area in the first, serving-up three of her match-best four aces. Kansas State hit .227 over the course of the first set, allowing a .196 clip for the Lions, who were led by Rankins with seven kills on 14 swings. The Lions stayed close throughout the set, playing to 11-10 and forcing a Kansas State timeout after three straight Wildcat attack errors. Trailing by just two points at 19-17 on a Rankins kill, the Lions forced the final Wildcat timeout. The break served the home team well, as Kansas State emerged from the huddle to take a 22-18 lead en route to the 25-21 victory.

Kansas State dominated the second set, holding LMU to a -.032 hitting percentage. Ludwig chipped-in four kills, accompanied by three from Dakota Kaufman, as K-State led from 1-1 forward. LMU managed just six kills as a team in the set, led by Rankins and Arriola with two apiece. The Wildcats jumped-out to an early 7-1 lead en route to advancing the cushion to 20-9 on a Lauren DeGrandmont attack error. LMU did not surrender without a fight, battling to 20-12 and then 21-16, but the deficit proved too much, as Kansas State earned the set victory on an Arriola attack error.

The third and final set proved to be a better battle between the two squads, as it saw eight tie scores and two lead changes. Blocking was the name of the game for Kansas State, which combined for eight total blocks (16 block assists) in the final period. Donahue and Muff led the way with four block assists apiece, while Ludwig added three kills. Arriola finished the period with three kills on 10 attacks, combining the mark with a team-high tying five digs. After playing even to nine, LMU managed to secure a three-point lead at 18-15 on a kill from Arriola and a Wildcat attacking error. Unfortunately for the Lions, Kansas State elected to call a timeout, which broke rhythm and allowed the Wildcats to regain composure. The host team broke huddle and promptly went on a five-point swing to take a 20-18 advantage. The seesaw battle continued from there, as the Lions evened the tally at 20; but Kansas State received the final swing of momentum, scoring five of the next six points to take the match and sweep the Lions.

LMU continues action at the Kansas State Invitational today at 3:30 p.m. PT when it square-offs against Georgia Tech.