Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 TUCSON, Ariz. – The Loyola Marymount University volleyball team split in its first two matches of the season at the Cactus Cup in Tucson, Ariz., as the team beat Samford 3-2, but fell to the No. 25 University of Arizona 3-0. 
 
LMU vs. Samford – 25-20, 19-25, 25-22, 25-23
The Lions opened up their first match of the season against Samford with momentum, as a kill by Savannah Slattery gave the Lions their first lead of the set. Samford put up a fight, tying the score seven times. Tied at 13-13, the Lions went on a 5-1 run and maintained the lead the rest of the set, winning 25-20. 
 
Up 1-0 in the match, the Lions fought back in the second set, but couldn't keep up with Samford, as the Bulldogs went on a 6-0 run before LMU scored. The Lions first point of the second set came from a service error, while the first kill in the second set came from Rose Booth. The Lions weren't able to come back losing set two 25-19. 
 
Tied at 1-1, LMU turned things around in the third set. The Bulldogs put the first point on the board, but the Lions quickly tied things up after an attack error and then took the lead after a block assist by Emmelyn Walters and Rose Booth. The teams were neck and neck all of set three with 12 ties and 11 lead changes. Tied at 22, the Lions pulled away and won set three 25-22. 
 
The Lions opened set four with a 2-0 lead, starting with a kill by Sierra Bartley. Samford tied things up at 8-8 and took the lead for the rest of the set, winning 25-16, making it a 2-2 match. 
 
Tying the score up 19 tomes and seven lead changes, the Lions pushed the Bulldogs to the end, but came out with a 24-22 win in set five. The Lions won after a service ace from Mary Shroll, to give the Lions their first win of the season. 
 
Booth led the Lions in kills and attacks, tallying 18 and 39, respectively and had 21.5 points. Tess Reid led LMU in assists with 50, while Shroll led the team in digs with 15. Walters had five blocks and led the team in point with Booth with 18. 
 
LMU vs. Arizona 25-18, 26-24, 25-21
After winning their first match of the season, the Lions took on No. 25 Arizona, where they put up a fight, but fell 3-0. Booth opened up set one with a kill, putting the first point on the board. Arizona quickly tied it up and took the lead. 
 
LMU battled the Wildcats in the first set, as the teams tied the score up nine times and had three lead changes.
 
The Lions continued to fight in set two, as there were two lead changes and eight tie scores. LMU fought until the end, tying things up at 22-22, but Arizona took the lead and won set two 26-24. 
 
Down 2-0, the Lions went into set three. A kill from Slattery put the Lions on the board. LMU took the lead twice, but fell to the Wildcats 25-21 in set three, giving Arizona the win. 
 
Up Next:
The Lions will be back in action Saturday to take on Appalachian State at 10:00 AM to conclude the Cactus Cup.