LOS ANGELES — LMU (23-3, 14-1 WCC) defeated San Diego (15-9, 10-4 WCC) 3-1 on Saturday, rallying from a 20-23 deficit in the first set before winning it 28-26. The Lions finished with 60 kills and a .248 hitting percentage, compared with 46 kills and a .192 mark for San Diego. The Lions have recorded at least six service aces in two consecutive matches.
The Lions went in front 10-8 after a
Maria Tabacuks kill and a San Diego attack error, but San Diego answered with four straight points to move ahead 12-10. The middle of the set stayed tight, with the Lions tying it at 17-17 on a San Diego attack error, at 19-19 on a
Camille Pomeroy kill and at 20-20 on another Tabacuks kill. San Diego used Lions errors and an Emma Brewer kill to build a 23-20 lead before the Lions answered with a
Nicole Schuetz kill, an
Ayanna Henry kill, a Schuetz-
Zaria Thornton block and a Tabacuks kill to reach set point at 24-23. After San Diego tied the set three more times, Thornton and Tabacuks delivered late kills, and the Lions closed the set 28-26 on a San Diego attack error.
San Diego scored the first two points of the second set, but Tabacuks answered with two early kills to pull the Lions even at 2-2, and the teams traded points until
Melania Katsitadze served consecutive aces for an 8-6 lead. The middle of the set stayed tight, with San Diego drawing even at 11-11, 12-12, 13-13 and 14-14 before a Tabacuks kill and a San Diego attack error moved the Lions ahead 16-14. San Diego came back to 17-17 on a kill by Brewer, but Schuetz put the Lions back in front and Tabacuks followed with consecutive kills for a 20-17 advantage. San Diego closed within 21-20, but a service error and a Brewer attack error put the Lions ahead 23-20, and Schuetz added kills for 24-21 and 25-22 to finish the set.
The Lions trailed 6-2 in the third set before
Kayla Lopez's kill, two Tabacuks kills and a Tabacuks service ace helped push the Lions ahead 8-7. San Diego tied it at 8-8, but Schuetz's kill put the Lions back in front 9-8 before San Diego moved from a 9-9 tie to a 14-9 lead with five straight points. The Lions cut the margin to 14-11 and later got kills from Thornton and Tabacuks, but San Diego pushed the set to 20-14 on a Nemo Beach kill and a Lions attack error. An
Aleksandra Stojanovic-Schuetz block and a Schuetz kill brought the Lions within 23-18, but Beach and BayLea Sparks closed the set with consecutive kills for San Diego's 25-18 win.
The fourth set moved back and forth early, with the Lions getting kills from Tabacuks, Henry, Schuetz and Thornton before San Diego moved in front 10-9 on a Meghan Scholz kill. Tabacuks tied it at 10-10, and
Gabriella Cascione served the Lions through six more points, including a Pomeroy block, kills by Tabacuks and
Delfina Schuh, a Cascione ace and two San Diego attack errors for a 16-10 lead. After San Diego pulled back to 16-12, the Lions answered with kills from Pomeroy, Schuetz, Tabacuks, Schuetz again and Henry to move ahead 22-14. Henry's later kill put the Lions at 24-16, and although San Diego won the next three rallies, a service error closed the set for the Lions, 25-19. Pomeroy has recorded at least three total blocks in eight consecutive matches.
Up Next for Lions Women's Volleyball
Up next, the Lions volleyball team travels to Malibu, California, to face Pepperdine on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, at 1 p.m.
