SAN FRANCISCO – LMU volleyball couldn't overcome a first-set deficit Saturday, falling 3-1 to San Francisco (25-16, 22-25, 25-20, 25-19) at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.

The Lions (5-19, 3-12 WCC) struggled out of the gate, dropping the opening set decisively 25-16 as they hit just .061 with seven errors on 33 attempts. The Dons built momentum behind a balanced attack and strong blocking at the net.

LMU responded emphatically in the second set, surging to a 25-22 victory behind a dominant service performance from Maddie Boerstra, who recorded three aces during a crucial stretch. The Lions hit .268 in the frame and rode the momentum of multiple service runs, including back-to-back aces from Boerstra to pull ahead 17-15.

The third set proved to be a back-and-forth affair with 13 ties, but San Francisco (5-20, 3-12 WCC) ultimately prevailed 25-20 behind strong play from Crystal Galaviz and Emilija Arsic. The Dons closed the set with a 3-1 run, punctuated by an ace from Arsic.

In the fourth set, the Dons seized control with a devastating 6-0 run by Galaviz late in the frame, turning a 16-16 deadlock into a commanding 22-16 advantage. San Francisco's improved hitting efficiency (.516 in the set) and Maeve Bailey's consistent front-row presence proved too much for the Lions to overcome.

Boerstra led LMU with 16 kills and three service aces, while Sophie Stephenson added 10 kills and two aces. Setter Delfina Schuh distributed 39 assists and contributed four kills. Libero Cecily Bramschreiber anchored the back row with 16 digs.