Box Score

LMU won its 11th first set in 14 matches this year, but moved to 6-5 in those matches after the Lions (9-5, 0-2 WCC) dropped a four-set match to #15 BYU (12-2, 2-1 WCC) by scores of 22-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-19 on Tuesday night from Smith Fieldhouse in Provo, Utah.

Junior Jamie Lea led all players with 19 kills on 45 swings, and the Lions outhit BYU .182-.171, but the Cougars recorded 13 blocks with seven service aces en route to claiming victory. The Lions, who are averaging better than an ace per set this year, collected just one in the setback. The Lions did manage nine total team blocks, receiving five block assists from Rachelle Suaava to accompany 12 kills. Sophomore Sarah Sponcil narrowly missed a double-double, teaming 11 kills with eight digs.

Cosy Burnett and Alexa Gray led the way on the attack for BYU, collecting 12 kills apiece. Burnett hit .280 over the course of the match, teaming the 12 kills with a block solo and three block assists. Amy Boswell provided a big presence on the block, registering six block assists to finish one better than teammate Whitney Howard with five.

The Lions impressed in the opening period, hitting .275 and limiting a potent BYU attack to a .095 clip. Suaava posted five kills on seven swings with two block assists to lead the way for LMU. The Lions never trailed in the first set, and led by as many as six at 15-9, but BYU made a late push to cut the deficit to one at 19-18. The one-point advantage held until 23-22 when LMU won points on kills from Suaava and Lea to take the opener 25-22.

Just as LMU led the entire way in the first, BYU returned the favor in the second en route to claiming a 25-19 victory to even the match score at 1-1. Burnett turned in four kills on eight attacks to guide the Cougars to a .265 hitting percentage, but BYU also received crucial points away from the attack on two aces and five blocks.

Both teams hit for high percentages in the third, with LMU registering a .375 clip to BYU's .306. Lea came alive for five kills to accompany four apiece from Amber Mirabello and Sponcil, but Burnett and Gray responded with five of their own on the other side of the net. The serving game once again proved crucial, with the Cougars serving up four aces, including two from Ciara Parker, en route to winning the third by a count of 25-21.

Each team cooled off significantly in the fourth, with BYU hitting .000 and holding LMU to a -.031 clip. Lea picked up five more kills, but BYU finished the match strong with five blocks, including three block assists from Boswell. The Lions reached 15 points first in the fourth at 15-14, but found themselves tied at 16 after trading points with the Cougars. BYU went on a five-point run to 21-16, wasting a Lion timeout along the way, en route to eventually earning the victory on a block from Danelle Parady and Howard.

With the victory over LMU, BYU is now 11-0 all-time against the Lions. Five of the matches have gone five sets, two have been four-set affairs, and four have been sweeps.

LMU will return home on Thursday to host Pacific at 7 pm from Gersten Pavilion. The Lions will then finish a three-match week on Saturday, traveling to Malibu, Calif. to host Saint Mary's at 5:30 pm.