Box Score Aug. 30, 2014 Box Score | Photo Gallery 
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The LMU volleyball team (3-0) swept UCLA (2-1) by scores of 25-19, 25-22, 25-23 on Saturday night to win the 2014 Concourse Hotel at LAX Classic hosted by the Lions in Gersten Pavilion this weekend. Senior
Litara Keil guided the way for LMU, collecting nine kills, a pair of aces, four block solos and three block assists. The victory over UCLA, which was receiving votes in the AVCA Preseason Poll, was LMU's first since December 4, 1986, as the all-time series now stands at 2-10 in favor of the Bruins. UCLA had won the previous seven contests between the two teams.
With Keil leading the way, the Lions posted 13 total team blocks, as junior Rachelle Suaava had six block assists of her own. Junior Amber Mirabello contributed four block assists to accompany nine kills to continue a stellar start to the season. Senior Caitlin DeWitt paced the Lion attack with 11 kills, while junior Avery Bush had two service aces. Freshman libero Kristen Castellanos led all players with 17 digs, while junior setter Hannah Tedrow dished-out 29 assists as the Lions hit .247 for the match.
UCLA senior Karsta Lowe did all she could to keep the Bruins in the match, totaling a match-high 24 kills and hitting .439 on 41 swings. The Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. native also managed a block solo and three block assists. Outside of Lowe, LMU held the UCLA attack at bay, allowing just a .202 hitting percentage for the match.
In what proved to be a thrilling three-set match, LMU took the opener behind three kills apiece from Keil, DeWitt and Mirabello. The Lions also received three aces, including two from Bush, and three blocks. The two teams traded blows to 9-9 before LMU went on a three-point run that was highlighted by a Bush ace. LMU would not trail the rest of the way, benefitting from back-to-back kills from Keil to make it 14-10, and a pair of UCLA errors to reach the 20-point plateau at 20-17. Bush's second ace of the set made it 21-17 before a pair of Lion blocks and an attack error handed LMU a set point at 24-18. Lowe found the floor to spoil the first shot at the win, but Keil made sure the Lions earned the crucial first set with her third and final kill of the period.
The Lion blocking game took another step forward in the second, as LMU combined for five total team blocks, including four block assists from Suaava. DeWitt and Mirabello continued to provide the firepower on the attack, as DeWitt registered five kills to Mirabello's four. Castellanos did her job keeping the UCLA attack off the floor, scurrying for eight of her 17 digs in the second. After battling to even at 11, kills from Keil and DeWitt handed LMU a lead it would not relinquish at 13-11. UCLA, which hit .186 in the period, had trouble beating the Lion block in the middle of the set, as Suaava teamed with Mirabello and DeWitt to record back-to-back blocks and make it 16-12 to force a UCLA timeout. Suaava's lone kill of the set was a big one for LMU, as it stopped a short run from the Bruins and handed LMU a 20-16 lead. Though LMU would force a set point at 24-19 on a UCLA attack error, the Bruins would not surrender the set without a fight, clawing to within two at 24-22 and forcing LMU to regroup via a timeout. The break served its purpose, as Lowe returned to the service area only to commit an error and hand the Lions the commanding 2-0 lead.
Lowe, who had eight kills in each of the three sets, added a pair of block assists, but LMU's five team blocks, guided by two solos and two block assists from Keil, proved just enough to earn the sweep. Keil, a native of Long Beach, Calif., added a pair of aces and three kills in the set, carrying the Lions to victory. As they did throughout the night, UCLA and LMU battled blow-for-blow, playing to nine tie scores and five lead changes in the finale. After playing to 6-6, LMU went on a three-point swing, capped by a block from Suaava and Keil, to force a UCLA timeout at 9-6. The Lions continued to hold a narrow lead through the middle of the set, but UCLA finally managed to get back to even at 16 by way of kills from Reily Buechler and Lowe. The two teams proceeded to trade points to 20-20, but consecutive aces from Keil allowed the Lions a small window to breathe at 22-20, forcing the final UCLA timeout of the match. Looking to avoid being swept, UCLA fed Lowe in the waning moments of the match, and the senior answered the bell, posting two more kills to eventually make it 23-22. Unfortunately for the Bruins, her second kill brought serve back to UCLA, but pushed Lowe into the back row, almost certainly forcing the Bruins to look for another option on the attack. LMU took advantage, as Suaava and Mirabello combined to stuff Olga Strantzali for the 24th point of the set. With its back against the wall, UCLA set the back row for Lowe, but her attack flew wide, sending a raucous crowd of 459 into frenzy.
LMU will return to action next weekend at Sacramento State, playing against the host Hornets, UC Santa Barbara and Fresno State at the Sacramento State Invitational. The Lions open tournament play on Friday at 4:30 against UCSB.
