HONOLULU — LMU defeated Utah Tech 3-1 on Sunday. The Lions overcame a 20-22 deficit to win the opening set 25-23 and finished with 64 kills while holding Utah Tech to a .159 hitting percentage.
Set 1
The first set stayed even through 12-12 as the Lions traded early points behind kills from
Maria Tabacuks,
Zaria Thornton,
Anya Santrac and
Aleksandra Stojanovic, before Utah Tech moved ahead 14-12 on a Tessa Treanor service ace and a Lions attack error. The Lions cut the margin to 15-14 on Stojanovic kill, but Utah Tech pushed ahead 20-17 before a Utah Tech attack error, a
Nicole Schuetz kill and another Utah Tech attack error pulled the Lions even at 20-20. Utah Tech answered with kills by Shaylee Dahle and Sydney Reese to take a 22-20 lead, and the Lions came back again with a Schuetz kill and a Kaleinani Watson attack error to tie the set at 22-22. Dahle put Utah Tech back in front at 23-22, but a service error, another Watson attack error and Stojanovic kill assisted by
Delfina Schuh closed the Lions' 25-23 set win.
Set 2
The second set stayed even early until Tabacuks recorded four consecutive Lions points on kills, moving the score from 6-6 to a 10-6 Lions lead. Utah Tech cut the margin to 10-9, and after Schuetz's kill gave the Lions a 12-9 edge, Utah Tech scored five straight behind three Tessa Treanor kills, a Mya Laufiso ace and a Nana Asiata kill to move in front 14-12. A block by Tabacuks and Thornton and a Santrac kill brought the Lions back to 14-14, but Utah Tech went back up 16-14 and later pushed the score to 19-15 on a Shaylee Dahle kill and two Lions attack errors.
Leah Burrell's kill kept the Lions within 20-17, but Utah Tech took the final five points, including kills by Cale Torgerson and Lusia Langi, a Marley Roe ace and a closing block by Torgerson and Langi to finish the set 25-17.
Set 3
After Utah Tech moved ahead 4-3 on a service ace, the Lions scored six of the next seven points, getting kills from Schuetz, Santrac and Thornton before Santrac capped the stretch for a 9-5 lead. Utah Tech narrowed the gap to 9-8 and, after Stojanovic's kill for the Lions, Tessa Treanor served three straight aces to put Utah Tech ahead 12-10. Tabacuks' consecutive kills tied the set at 13-13, and the Lions kept answering through the middle stages, with Thornton tying it at 16-16 and Schuetz bringing it even at 17-17 before Stojanovic put the Lions in front 21-20. An opponent attack error stretched the Lions' edge to 22-20, Utah Tech tied it at 22-22, and kills by Schuetz and Thornton gave the Lions set point before a Utah Tech service error finished the set at 25-23.
Set 4
In the fourth set, Utah Tech scored first before the Lions moved in front 3-1 on Schuetz's kill, a triple block by Tabacuks, Thornton and Schuetz, and a Thornton kill. Utah Tech came back to lead 4-3 and later tied the set at 7-7, but the Lions answered with kills from Stojanovic and Santrac to move ahead 10-7. After Utah Tech cut the margin to 10-9, the Lions scored six of the next seven points, with Tabacuks contributing two kills and a block assist alongside Thornton in the stretch for a 16-10 lead. Utah Tech got back within 16-13, but the Lions pushed the lead to 22-14 behind Tabacuks and Santrac kills before closing the set 25-16 on a Utah Tech attack error.
Schuh finished with 49 assists, 14 digs and one service ace. Tabacuks posted 14 kills, 12 digs, four blocks and 16 points. Santrac recorded 14 kills and 18 digs. Thornton added 11 kills while hitting .391 and collected five blocks.
The Lions are 5-1 overall. Utah Tech is 3-3 overall.
Up next, the Lions volleyball team travels to Irvine, Calif., to face UC Irvine on Friday, Sept. 11, at 6 p.m.
