LOS ANGELES – LMU women's volleyball and Santa Clara battled in a five-set thriller on Thursday night in Gersten Pavilion. The Lions took the first and third sets and forced extra points in the second set before the Broncos ultimately claimed the fifth to win, 3-2 (15-25, 27-25, 16-25, 25-17, 15-10).
 
LMU took an early 4-1 lead off Cecily Bramschreiber's service ace. After the Broncos tied it at 4-4, Maddie Boerstra bookended a 3-0 run with two of her game-high 20 kills. The Lions used Boerstra in a second big run as her back-to-back aces put the Lions ahead 11-6 as part of four unanswered points. The lead grew to as large as 10 points as Delfina Schuh earned LMU the set on her service ace, LMU's fifth of the set.
 
Santa Clara responded with the first four points of the second set and took a 6-1 lead before LMU tied the game at 9-9 off a big block from Schuh and Mariana Simao. The Broncos pulled ahead 23-19 before LMU's five consecutive points game the home team set point. The Lions were unable to close out the second as Santa Clara scored four of the final five points of the set to even the match.
 
Another fast start put the visitors ahead 5-1 in the third set. LMU climbed back and tied it at 8-all with another Schuh ace. LMU's first lead of the third came during a stretch of seven unanswered points, which was part of a larger 11-1 run to push LMU ahead 20-13. The Lions closed out the set with the final four points, which included kills by Schuh, Camille Pomeroy, and a clincher from Sophie Stephenson.
 
The Broncos started quickly again to open the fourth, taking another 5-1 start before Boerstra and Schuh ended the run with back-to-back kills. LMU tied the game at 9-9 but never held a lead in the set. Santa Clara closed out the set with the final five points to force the tiebreaker fifth set.
 
Pomeroy and Boerstra gave LMU an early 2-0 advantage in the decisive set before Santa Clara rattled off the next 11 points. The Lions did not give in as Sophia Keane started a 3-0 response from the home team. LMU pulled within four on the block assist by Pomeroy and Schuh to bring the score to 13-9. Santa Clara's lead proved to be too large as the Broncos held on to win, 15-10.
 
Schuh recorded 45 assists in the game, her most since the opening night performance with 47.
 
Mariana Simao's 11 blocks were the most of any Lion this season.
 
The Lions travel north to San Francisco to face the Dons on Saturday afternoon.
 
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