Nov. 10, 2001
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The 19th-ranked Santa Clara University volleyball team defeated Loyola Marymount in three games in West Coast Conference action tonight at the Leavey Center. Game scores were 30-25, 30-24, 30-28. The Broncos remain in second place in the league standings, and improve to 18-8 overall and 10-3 in the WCC. The Lions fall to 14-9, 7-5.
LMU held off six match points with four kills by the Lions' Kristin Gallup in game three, but could not overcome Bronco sophomore middle blocker Becky Potter, whose 20th kill of the night was the match-winner.
Potter was a part of six of nine SCU blocks to lead the defensive effort, while Loyola Marymount tallied 11 blocks, including six from Dina Debernardi.
Bronco freshman middle blocker Toni Muratore posted two of Santa Clara's blocks in the opening minutes of the night to give Santa Clara a 7-1 lead. The home squad kept the momentum on its side with a great rally by both teams, but included incredible dig saves by SCU's Chrissy Hirsch and Jami Bari to keep the ball in play, stretched SCU's lead to seven at 9-2. The Lions pulled to within two at 23-21 when Laura Gustorf nailed an overpass for the unassisted kill, but the Broncos, who hit .436 in the frame, ended game one on a Potter kill. Bari, who finished with a match-high 13 digs, posted nine of those in this frame.
Loyola Marymount took a brief 3-2 lead early in game two, but SCU quickly regained the lead and opened a lead at 12-10 and extended it to 19-12. LMU held off one game point, but Bari's kill on the outside gave the Broncos a two-game lead at intermission.
In a battle of sophomore setters, SCU's Kelli Sousa registered 48 assists, five digs and four kills, while LMU's Nicole Oehlman posted 34 assists, three digs, two blocks and one kill.
The Broncos will close conference action at San Francisco next Saturday, Nov. 17. That contest will begin at 7 p.m. at War Memorial Gym.