Sept. 12, 2011

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Four Lion volleyball players have garnered All-Tournament honors this year, as LMU has participated in three different tournaments, including hosting the Four Points by Sheraton LA Westside Invitational to start the year. Senior Jasmine Rankins has earned All-Tournament honors at the Four Points by Sheraton LA Westside Invitational and the Active Ankle Challenge hosted by Oregon State. Sophomore Alyse Hensley also took home All-Tournament honors at LMU's season-opening tournament. Freshman Litara Keil teamed with Rankins to earn All-Tournament accolades at the Active Ankle Challenge, while senior Emily Cheek earned a selection at the latest tournament, the UK Invitational hosted by Kentucky.

Rankins and sophomore Hensley each garnered All-Tournament honors after leading LMU to a 2-1 record at the conclusion of the Four Points by Sheraton LA Westside Invitational. Rankins collected a team-best 34 kills over the three matches, averaging 3.40 kills per set while hitting .255. She posted a double-double against Cal State Fullerton on August 26 in the first match of the year for LMU, teaming 17 kills with 10 digs while hitting .421 (17-1/38). She also served up three of her five aces on the weekend in that match against the Titans. Hensley connected for 27 kills at a rate of 2.70 per set over the three matches, including an incredible .471 hitting percentage and 17 kills against Cal State Fullerton to open the season.

Rankins was back at it again at the Active Ankle Challenge, this time joined by freshman Keil. The duo teamed to lead LMU to another 2-1 record. Rankins posted 41 kills over the course of the three matches, averaging 4.10 per set while hitting an incredible .435 in a sweep of Seattle and .333 in a sweep of Cal State Bakersfield. Always a threat from the service area, Rankins notched seven aces at a rate of .70 per set, including five aces against Oregon State on September 4. The native of Oceanside, Calif. managed a double-double in each of the first two matches of the tournament. Keil was equally impressive, hitting .413 over the three matches while posting 31 kills at a rate of 3.10 per set. The native of Long Beach, Calif. served-up five aces against Seattle to open the tournament while posting five total blocks on the weekend.

Cheek, the lone Lion lauded at the UK Invitational, posted a team-best 26 kills at a rate of 2.89 per set. Active on the block, the native of Sequin, Texas managed two block solos and five block assists at a rate of .78 blocks per set. Not normally used on the serve, Cheek contributed one service ace at Kentucky on September 10. The senior had her best match against West Virginia on September 9 to open tournament play, posting nine kills and four block assists en route to guiding LMU to a sweep of the Mountaineers.

The Lions will finish tournament play this weekend when they travel to Stockton, Calif. to play in the Hilton Stockton Invitational hosted by the University of Pacific.