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Following a six-match win streak that stretched from September 11-20, the LMU volleyball team (9-6, 0-3 WCC) dropped its third straight match on Thursday night, falling in four sets to Pacific (12-3, 3-1 WCC) by scores of 19-25, 25-16, 28-26, 25-17 from Gersten Pavilion. LMU is now 6-6 this year when winning the first set.

Sarah Sponcil managed a double-double for LMU, teaming 17 kills with 11 digs, but Lexi Elman led all players with 18 kills on .283 hitting to guide Pacific to victory. Jamie Lea also had a productive match for the Lions, registering 16 kills, but she hit just .122 over 41 swings. The blocking battle proved fairly even, with Pacific out-blocking LMU, 12-11.

The Lions came out strong in the first set, hitting .323 behind six kills from Sponcil and holding Pacific to a .000 hitting percentage. The Lions registered four blocks and did not trail the entire way in the first, benefitting from three block assists from Rachelle Suaava.

It was all Pacific in the second set, as the Tigers hit .520 and received four kills apiece from Elman and Alicja Wilk, eventually running away with the 25-16 victory to even the match score at 1-1.

Elman exploded for 10 kills in the third set alone, leading Pacific to the 28-26 victory and a 2-1 lead in the match score. The Lions had a pair of set-point chances late in the third, but Pacific erased both opportunities, eventually earning its first set-point chance at 26-25 on a block from Alexandra Holt and Wilk. The Lions fought off that chance, but a Wilk kill and a Lea attack error handed Pacific the set over the next two plays.

With its back to the wall, LMU hit -.071 in the fourth and final period, falling by a count of 25-17 as Pacific earned the four-set victory. Holt and Maycie Labass each had three kills, while Wilk pitched in three block assists. The Tigers jumped out to an early 4-1 lead and never looked back, forcing LMU timeouts at 8-4 and 18-14. A block from Kimmy Whitson and Wilk moved the tally to 24-17 before Sponcil erred on her final attack to hand Pacific the win. The Tigers won seven of the final eight points in the match.

LMU will look to get back on track on Saturday, traveling to Malibu, Calif. to host Saint Mary's in a neutral site match at 5:30 p.m. Admission into the match is free.