Box Score

Trailing two sets to none, the LMU women's volleyball team (3-1) rallied to take the final three sets to escape with a five-set neutral-site victory over Houston Baptist (4-2) on Saturday morning from the Lumberjack Classic being hosted by Northern Arizona University. LMU won the match by scores of 21-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-23, 15-8.

Junior Jamie Lea led all players with 22 kills on 57 attacks, while sophomore Sarah Sponcil registered her fourth consecutive double-double to start the season (12 kills | 10 digs) to accompany three of LMU's five aces. Senior Rachelle Suaava had another solid day on the attack, hitting .481 with 16 kills on 27 swings with just three errors. Hannah Tedrow and Suaava proved effective on the block, collecting five and four block assists, respectively, to help LMU to seven total team blocks. LMU was out-hit by the Huskies in each of the first two sets, but rebounded to collect better percentages than its opponent in each of the final three, including a .556 clip in the finale, to finish the match with a .250 hitting percentage. Tedrow set the attack on Saturday, finishing with a match-high 60 assists.

Melissa Fuchs and Jessica Wooten led the attack for Houston Baptist, finishing with 18 and 13 kills, respectively. The Huskies managed 11 total team blocks, led by seven block assists from Allison Doerpinghaus and five more from Bailey Banks.

Although the match scores proved close throughout, the two teams played to just 17 tie scores and four lead changes over the five sets, including 13 ties and five changes in the third.

Fuchs collected six kills and the Huskies managed four blocks en route to taking the first set 25-21. Despite staying within striking distance, the Lions trailed virtually the entire way in the first, but did manage to draw even at 20-20 on back-to-back kills from Lea. Fuchs made sure that LMU didn't take the opener, posting a pair of kills and teaming with Doerpinghaus on a block to help Houston Baptist to a 4-0 run that led to set-point at 24-20. Jennifer Casillas kept the Lions alive on the ensuing play, but Fuchs found the floor for the final time to take the set.

The Huskies led virtually the entire way in the second as well, breaking a 3-3 tie on a Nicky Kevorken attack error and never surrendering the lead. The Lions continued to battle in the set to keep things close, pulling within one point at 17-16 and forcing a Houston Baptist timeout. A pair of Lea kills kept the Lions within one at 22-21, but kills from Fuchs and Doerpinghaus ran the tally to 24-21 in favor of the Huskies. Kayla Armer put the set away two plays later, notching her second kill of the set to make it 2-0 Houston Baptist at the break. Fuchs finished the set with six kills on 11 attacks, while Suaava and Lea had five apiece for LMU.

In what proved to be the closest set of all five, the Lions and Huskies traded points to 7-7 in the third before LMU won the next two to take an early 9-7 lead. Houston Baptist rumbled back to even at 11-11, sending the teams back into a see-saw battle to ties at 14, 19 and eventually 23 on a kill from Wooten to force a Lion timeout. The break served LMU well as it came out and fed Lea for a kill before Fuchs erred on an attack to hand LMU the set.

Neither team hit for a high percentage in the fourth as LMU managed a .161 clip compared to Houston Baptist at .115. Amber Mirabello, who did not play in the first two sets, came alive for five kills on eight swings to help guide the Lions to victory. LMU also managed two aces and four team blocks en route to edging the Huskies, 25-23. LMU never trailed in the set, winning the first four points of the period, but Houston Baptist never trailed by more than six points in the fourth. Mirabello pushed LMU to the 15-point plateau with a kill to make it 15-10 before a service error from Hailey Erickson allowed the Lions to reach 20 points at 20-16. Trailing 23-17, the Huskies made a late push to try to steal the set, winning three straight points to cut the deficit to three at 23-20. A kill from Mirabello handed LMU a set-point chance at 24-20, but three more Houston Baptist points brought them within one at 24-23 on a block from Fuchs and Doerpinghaus. Refusing to surrender the match, LMU set Lea one final time in the fourth for the set-winning kill to force a fifth and decisive set.

In the race to 15, LMU hit .556 (11-1/18) to take the match in five by way of a 15-8 victory. Suaava and Lea each had four kills to guide the Lions to victory. LMU came out strong, winning five of the first seven points to take an early 5-2 lead on a kill from Suaava. Just as it had done in the previous two sets, Houston Baptist stayed close, cutting the deficit to one at 7-6, 8-7 and 9-8, but LMU won the final six points of the match, including four on a pair of kills each from Suaava and Lea, to move to 2-0 in tournament play.

LMU will now play host Northern Arizona University at 7 pm PT tonight.