LOS ANGELES — LMU (15-3, 6-1 West Coast Conference) lost to Pepperdine (14-4, 6-1 WCC) 3-1 on Saturday at Gersten Pavilion.
Maria Tabacuks led the LMU attack with a team-high 19 kills while totaling 19.5 points and adding seven digs. Tabacuks has now recorded at least 19.5 points in three consecutive matches.
Delfina Schuh directed the Lions offensively with a team-high 32 assists while adding 12 digs for a double-double and two blocks.
Gabriella Cascione anchored the LMU defense with a team-high 18 digs while contributing five assists.
Aleksandra Stojanovic made an impact at the net with a team-high five blocks, including two solo, surpassing her season average of 3.5 blocks per match, while adding five kills on a .286 hitting percentage and 8.5 points.
Nicole Schuetz contributed nine kills and three blocks, including a career-high and season-high two solo blocks, while totaling 12.5 points.
The Lions opened the first set with a
Maria Tabacuks kill from
Delfina Schuh and a Pepperdine setting error for a 2-0 lead, but Pepperdine pulled even several times as the teams traded points through 10-10. Pepperdine moved in front from there, scoring five straight points on kills by Ella Piskorz, Tristen Raymond, Piskorz and Iva Popovic, plus a Lions attack error, to build a 15-10 lead.
Nicole Schuetz and
Aleksandra Stojanovic answered with kills as the Lions tried to stay within reach, but Pepperdine pushed the margin to 23-14 with help from a Popovic ace and a Mariia Nikol Dvornikova kill. Loyola Marymount University got late points on a Pepperdine setting error and a Tabacuks kill, before Maggie Beauer finished the set for Pepperdine, 25-17.
Pepperdine built an early 8-6 lead in the second set, but the Lions stayed close with kills from Schuetz and Tabacuks. After Pepperdine moved ahead 9-7, Loyola Marymount University scored four straight points, tying it on a Stojanovic block before blocks involving Tabacuks, Schuh and Stojanovic put the Lions in front 11-9. Pepperdine answered to regain control, moving ahead 15-12 before LMU (CA) pulled within 16-15 on kills by Tabacuks and a Pepperdine attack error. From there, Pepperdine scored five straight points to stretch the margin to 21-15 and closed the set 25-18.
The Lions built an early 7-3 lead in the third set behind kills from Tabacuks and Schuetz and a Schuetz block, but Pepperdine came back to tie it at 8-8. The Lions moved back ahead with kills from Schuetz, Schuh and Tabacuks, stretching the margin to 15-10 before Pepperdine closed within 16-15 and later tied the set again at 17-17. Tabacuks put Loyola Marymount University back in front with a kill, and the Lions scored the next four points, including a Stojanovic block and a Schuetz service ace, to go up 21-17. Pepperdine got back within 23-21, but Tabacuks delivered another kill for a 24-21 lead, and a Pepperdine attack error closed the Lions' 25-21 set win.
LMU traded points with Pepperdine early in the fourth set, getting kills from Tabacuks,
Zaria Thornton, Schuetz and Stojanovic to reach 7-7. Pepperdine scored the next three points for a 10-7 lead, and after the Lions pulled within 15-14 behind two Pepperdine attack errors and a Schuetz block, the Waves stayed in front. Tabacuks and Schuetz kept Loyola Marymount University within a point as late as 20-19, but Pepperdine answered with three straight points to move ahead 23-19. Schuetz had a kill after Pepperdine reached 24-20, but Irelynd Lorenzen finished the set with a kill to give Pepperdine a 25-21 win.
The Lions are 15-3 overall and 6-1 in WCC play. Pepperdine is 14-4 overall and 6-1 in WCC play.
Up Next for LMU Women's Volleyball
Up next, the Lions volleyball team hosts Santa Clara on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m. at Gersten Pavilion.
