MALIBU, Calif. – LMU women's volleyball (12-2, 3-1 WCC) did not allow an early 2-0 setback to take the fight out of the team. The Lions took the #23 Waves to five sets before snapping their 12-game winning streak, 25-23, 34-32, 20-25, 23-25, 15-12.
 
"I'm really proud of our team for bouncing back after losing the first two sets, especially a really close one in the second set," said Head Coach Aaron Mansfield. "We didn't play our best volleyball late in sets and that's what ultimately led to the loss. I have no doubt our team will learn from this and find ways to get better when we get back in the gym on Monday."
 
After a fairly even start to the match, Pepperdine built up leads of 17-10 and 21-13 before the Lions put together a run of their own. LMU cut the game to 22-20 and within one point at 24-23, but were unable to ever pull even and dropping the set.
 
The second set turned into an instant classic. LMU doubled up the Waves, 14-7, but the home side came back to take a lead, 24-23. From that point both teams fought off a combined nine set points before Pepperdine finally earned a 34-32 win.
 
With the third set tied at 11-all, LMU scored six in a row and six of nine overall points to jump ahead 20-12. The Lions closed out the set with a 25-20 win to extend the match.
 
Trailing 10-8 in the set, Jacquelyn Moore buried a kill that started a run of five unanswered to give LMU a 13-10 lead. The Lions would extend that lead too 15-11 and 19-14. The Waves cut the score to one on two occasions before LMU won the set 25-23.
 
The Lions came out quickly in the fifth set, scoring the first four points to jump ahead, 4-0. Pepperdine would climb back and tie the game at 5-5 for the first of seven ties in the final set. Audrey Klemp recorded a kill to tie the game at 12-12, before the Waves earned the final three points to end it.
 
Four Lions recorded double-figure kills highlighted by 18 from Audrey Klemp, 17 from Kari Geissberger, 15 from Megan Rice, and 10 from Jacquelyn Moore. Isabella Bareford recorded a career-high 59 assists.
 
LMU will remain on the road next week, playing at Saint Mary's and then at Pacific on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.