SAN FRANCISCO— The Lions battled hard but ultimately fell, 3-0, in a tight match against the San Francisco Dons on Saturday afternoon.

LMU started strong in the first set, opening with five straight points, including a kill from Jiana Lawson, to take a 5-1 lead. The Lions maintained control until a mini-run by the Dons evened the score at 6-6. Both teams exchanged runs midway through the set, but LMU built a promising 17-10 advantage. However, later in the set, San Francisco responded with two 4-0 runs, edging ahead 21-20. A clutch kill by Sophia Meyers tied the set at 23-23, but the Dons secured the final two points to win 25-23.

Set two was also tight, with no more than a two-point deficit until block assists from Kaitlyn Evans and Delfina Schuh put LMU three, 7-4. Later, a 3-0 run capped by a Paige Flickinger kill gave the Lions a 19-17 lead. San Francisco responded with five consecutive points, taking back the lead at 23-20. LMU made a late push, but the Dons secured the set with a final kill, winning 25-23.

Set three followed a similar pattern, with San Francisco grabbing an early lead until a kill from Kalani Hayes sparked a 3-0 Lions run, putting them ahead 7-5. The set remained close, with the teams tied at 21-21 after another kill by Flickinger. The Lions put up a strong fight, but the Dons finished the set 25-22, securing the 3-0 sweep.

LMU led the match in kills (47-37) and service aces (5-4). Flickinger recorded a match-high 14 kills, with Meyers contributing 10. Schuh stood out with 13 digs and 33 assists, leading both teams in both categories.

The Lions next game is Thursday, Oct. 10, at 6 PM against the San Diego Toreros in Gersten Pavilion.

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