Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Playing in its final regular-season non-conference match of the year, LMU (9-3) posted a convincing 25-23, 25-17, 25-15 sweep over visiting San Diego State (3-9) on Sunday afternoon from Gersten Pavilion.

Junior Jamie Lea led all players with 10 kills on 33 swings for the Lions, teaming the mark with six digs and two block assists. LMU managed 12 total team blocks, including two solos and seven block assists from Rachelle Suaava. Suaava had a solid all-around match, teaming the blocking numbers with six kills and five digs.

Sophomore Sarah Sponcil made just one error on 25 swings with nine kills to finish with a .320 hitting percentage. The native of Phoenix, Ariz. also served up an ace and collected nine digs and two block assists to narrowly miss a double-double. Setter Hannah Tedrow set the Lions to a .245 clip, dishing out 33 assists with an ace and four block assists.

Alexis Cage led the Aztec attack with nine digs, but SDSU hit just .096 en route to being swept by the Lions.

The Lions used four total team blocks and four kills apiece from Lea and Amber Mirabello en route to earning the 25-23 victory in the first set. The Lions had to play from behind early in the set, as San Diego State won four straight points to break a 9-9 tie and take a 13-9 lead, forcing a Lion timeout. The Lions clawed to stay in the set, eventually cutting the deficit to one at 17-16 on a Sponcil kill. While the Aztecs won the next point to extend the lead to 18-16, LMU won each of the next five to steal the late lead at 21-18. San Diego State made one final fun, drawing back even at 22 and forcing the final LMU timeout, but the Lions got a kill from Suaava and a big block from Lea and Suaava to force set point at 24-22. The Lions surrendered one last point on a kill from Deja Harris, but Suaava recorded a block solo on the ensuing play to hand LMU the opener.

The Lions hit .429 in the second set en route to taking the commanding 2-0 lead in the match score. Suaava, Sponcil and Lea each had four kills, while Suaava also added a block solo and two block assists. After playing even to 9-9, LMU won six straight points, highlighted by a pair of kills from Lea, to take a 15-9 lead. The advantage stretched to eight at 18-10 on a block from Suaava and Tedrow, and the Lions continued to accelerate to the finish, winning the final three points of the period, capped by a solo block from Suaava.

LMU held SDSU to -.025 hitting in the finale, registering five total team blocks, including three block assists from Suaava. The two teams traded blows early, finding themselves tied a 4-4, but LMU won the next three points and never saw the visitor draw even the rest of the way. Leading by three at 12-9, LMU went on a five-point run to 17-9, burning a San Diego State timeout along the way. LMU cruised the rest of the way, eventually claiming the 10-point victory and the sweep on an attack error from Alexandra Psoma.

LMU will begin West Coast Conference play next week, with a Saturday road match at Pepperdine scheduled for 1 p.m.