Box Score Sept. 6, 2014 Box Score
The LMU volleyball team (6-0) won the 2014 Sacramento State Invitational Tournament Championship on Saturday night, defeating Fresno State (2-4) in four sets by scores of 23-25, 25-12, 25-17, 25-17. Senior
Caitlin DeWitt and freshman
Sarah Sponcil led the way for the Lions, posting 18 and 16 kills, respectively. For her efforts throughout the tournament, DeWitt was named Tournament MVP for the second straight tournament. Joining DeWitt on the All-Tournament team were Sponcil and junior setter
Hannah Tedrow. The Lions have now won the first six matches of the year for the first time since 2003 (10-0).
DeWitt finished the tournament hitting .482 with 49 kills (4.90 per set) and only nine errors on 83 attacks. The native of Casper, Wyo. also recorded 18 digs and eight block assists. Sponcil finished the three matches with 32 kills (3.20 per set) while hitting .406 on 69 swings. The native of Phoenix, Ariz. also posted five service aces, 22 digs and four block assists. Setting the attack throughout the tournament, Tedrow managed 126 assists (12.60 per set) with seven kills, 17 digs and eight blocks (two solo and six block assists).
The Lions, who have now hit .364 over the first six matches of the year, hit .416 against the Bulldogs, as Sponcil connected at a .484 clip and DeWitt at a .424 clip. Sponcil managed LMU's first double-double of the year, teaming the 16 kills with 11 digs. Tedrow continued to distribute the ball well, quarterbacking LMU with 55 assists. As they have done virtually all season, the Lions blocked well on Saturday night, collecting a team-high tying13 total team blocks.
LMU dropped a set for the first time this year in the first, as Fresno State won a close 25-23 decision behind eight kills from Zana Bowens. The Lions out-hit the Bulldogs, .324-.308, but Fresno State managed to take the opening set that saw three lead changes and eight tie scores, including the last stalemate at 22-22.
The Lions came out swinging in the second set, hitting a scorching .517 behind three kills from DeWitt. The Lions also recorded two team blocks, as Sponcil and Rachelle Suaava teamed for a pair of block assists. The Lions jumped out to an early 7-2 lead on a Sponcil kill before eventually running away with the set by way of a five-point run from 16-9 to 21-9. Tedrow pushed LMU to set point with one of her three kills on the match before a bad set charged to Fresno State allowed LMU to even the match score.
The Lion block proved to be the difference in the third, as LMU totaled seven blocks, including four block assists from junior Amber Mirabello. Mirabello finished the match with nine kills and the four block assists, posting a hitting percentage of .350 over 20 swings. The Lions never trailed in the third, as Litara Keil and Sponcil collected five and four kills, respectively, to lead the attack. A four-point set at 14-10 quickly went the way of the Lions as LMU rattled off four straight points, highlighted by a block from Tedrow and Keil, to open up a healthy 18-10 advantage. Fittingly, LMU's block sealed the set, as Suaava and Mirabello teamed for a block for LMU's 24th point before Keil and Suaava came together to stuff the Bulldogs for the win.
Tasting its sixth straight victory to open the year, LMU bested its stellar second set with a .556 hitting percentage in the fourth. DeWitt managed six kills on eight attacks, while Sponcil closed the match with five kills on eight swings. The Lions, who collected four aces in the match, received three of the four in the fourth. LMU raced out to an early 7-2 lead, with a pair of kills from Suaava guiding the way. Refusing to take its foot off the gas, LMU motored to the 20-point plateau at 20-13 on a kill from Sponcil and a Bulldog attack error. Although Fresno State managed to trade blows with LMU through the end, the Lions fittingly earned the comfortable victory on kills from DeWitt and Sponcil.
LMU will return to action on September 11 when it travels to Long Beach State for a match at 7 pm.
