Box Score

Despite leading late in each of the first two sets, LMU volleyball (18-10, 9-7 WCC) allowed Santa Clara (15-12, 6-9 WCC) to crawl back into each period and eventually earn the victory as the Lions suffered a 26-24, 25-21, 23-25, 25-22 setback on Saturday afternoon from Gersten Pavilion.

The loss snapped a four-match win streak for the Lions.

Nikki Hess led the way for Santa Clara, finishing with 11 kills on 40 swings. Sarah Sponcil led all players with 16 kills and 15 digs for the Lions, while Jamie Lea and Savannah Slattery contributed 13 and 12, respectively. The double-double was Sponcil's 14th of the season. Both teams finished with 12 team blocks, as Sascha Dominique had six block assists for the Lions.

Santa Clara set the tone for the match in the first, coming back to steal the opening set after falling behind early in the period. Trailing 8-6, LMU went on a six-point swing to claim a 12-8 lead that stretched to 21-14. Unfortunately, LMU could not close out the Broncos from there, as the visitors clawed back even at 22-22 by way of winning eight of the next nine points. LMU did manage to reach set point at 24-23, but Santa Clara again went on a run, earning the final three points, including a pair on two of six team blocks in the frame, to take the opener.

It was another Santa Clara comeback in the second, as LMU led much of the set before the Broncos escaped with the victory. The Lions led 7-3 early and extended the lead to 15-9 on an Erin Williams kill. The six-point lead continued to 16-10, but Santa Clara turned things around from there, drawing even at 19-19 on a kill from Hess. While the Lions won the next two points to take a 21-19 lead, Santa Clara responded with six unanswered points to finish the set and claim a 2-0 lead in the match score.

In a back-and-forth set that saw 17 tie scores and eight lead changes, LMU managed to hold off Santa Clara's third straight come-from-behind effort, taking the third, 25-23. Slattery led the way for the Lions, contributing six kills on nine attacks as the Lions hit .258 as a team. LMU's blocking effort also proved huge, as the Lions registered five team blocks, including a stuff from Sponcil and Dominique to take the period. That set-winning block came on the heels of a Slattery kill that broke a 23-23 stalemate.

Still with its back to the wall, LMU could not overcome a strong offensive showing from the Broncos in the fourth, as Santa Clara hit .367 behind four kills from Hess en route to capturing the match. The service ace also proved big for Santa Clara in the finale, as Sabrina Clayton served up three of the Broncos' four aces in the set, helping the visitors to finish with nine aces on the afternoon.

LMU will return to action on Saturday when it hosts Wells Fargo PCH Cup rival Pepperdine at Noon.