SANTA CLARA, Calif. – LMU women's volleyball defeated Santa Clara on Thursday night in the opening game of West Coast Conference Competition. The Lions (10-1, 1-0 WCC) took the match in four sets over the Broncos (4-7, 0-1 WCC), 25-22, 21-25, 25-22, 25-15.
 
We got off to a slow start in each of the first three sets and still found a way to either win or make them competitive at the end of each one," said Head Coach Aaron Mansfield. "I'm proud of us for just sticking with it when we weren't playing our best. That's not an easy thing to do, especially on the road."
 
LMU started the game down 7-1 before ultimately cutting it to a 12-11 score on a Megan Rice service ace in her first game back since the Fresno State Tournament. A late 5-0 run helped the Lions take the lead for the first time all set, part of a closing 9-2 run.
 
Santa Clara jumped out to a 6-2 start in the second set. Three-straight kills by Rice tied the game at 9-all. LMU's largest lead of the set was two points as Emmelyn Walters put down a kill to give the Lions a 14-12 edge. The Broncos climbed back and took the set, 25-21.
 
Nine of the first 10 points of the third set went to the home side, forcing LMU to have to fight back once again. With Mary Shroll serving, the Lions strung together six consecutive points to take a 17-15 lead. Santa Clara tied the game at 20-all, before LMU closed it out for a 25-22 lead.
 
LMU benefited from an early lead to open the fourth game, pushing ahead 4-1 and 8-3. Once the Broncos cut it to two, the Lions were able to double-up the hosts with five unanswered points to go ahead, 14-7. Those five straight points were part of a larger 10-1 run as a second set of five answered points followed to push the lead to 19-8. The Lions closed out the set hitting .500 for the second time (hit .533 in set two) to win the match.
 
Isabella Bareford assisted 46 kills, including 23 from Rice and 19 from Kari Geissberger.
 
The Lions will return to action on Saturday afternoon at San Francisco for a 12:00 pm conference match.