WATCH EYEBRONCO FOR HIGHLIGHTS FROM TONIGHTS GAME!
After Santa Clara defeated then-No. 24 LMU on Oct. 18, the Broncos knew the Lions would be looking for revenge. LMU got it as the Lions defeated SCU 3-0 on Thursday night. Set scores were 20-25, 21-25 and 21-25. No. 25 Santa Clara is 20-8 and 10-5 in the WCC and LMU is 21-5 and 9-5 in the WCC.
Santa Clara hit .217 with 40 kills (17 e, 106 att.). The Broncos collected 39 assists, one ace, six service errors, 33 digs and eight team blocks.
The Broncos were led by Nikki Hess, who hit .343 with 15 kills and 11 digs (3 e, 35 att.). Kirsten Mead had 33 assists and eight digs. Danielle Rottman had nine digs.
LMU hit .303 with 44 kills (14 e, 99 att.). The Lions collected 43 assists, five aces, six service errors, 43 digs and six team blocks.
The Lions were led by Litara Keil, who hit .538 with 17 kills (3 e, 26 att.). Kristen Castellanos had 12 digs. Hannah Tedrow added 40 assists and 10 digs. Sarah Sponcil had eight kills and 10 digs.
The teams opened the match working to figure each out, tying it up three times. A block solo by Hess made it 4-3, but Caitlin DeWitt scored between the block. The teams tied it up again at 5-5, but a couple of Bronco errors gave LMU a 7-5 lead. LMU scored three of the next four. Coming out of the SCU timeout, Kaity Edwards scored off the LMU block, Rachelle Suaava hit it wide and Mead sored cross court to pull within a point, 10-9 LMU. Maas and Mead scored a team block and then Maas and Taylor Milton scored another to tie up 11-11. LMU scored twice, but SCU scored three of the next four to tie it up 14-14. The teams were tied up at 16 and 17 and Hess' kill gave the Broncos an 18-17 lead when LMU called for time. LMU scored twice out and then a Clayton kill tied it up at 19 each. LMU scored a couple more, including an ace when SCU called for time, down 21-19. LMU scored four of the next five to win the set, 25-20. SCU hit .219 with 12 kills (5 e, 32 att.). LMU hit .267 with 14 kills (6 e, 30 att.). Keil had six kills for LMU and Hess had four.
The teams once again battled back and forth in the second set, with LMU taking a 6-4 lead. A kill by Edwards and a dump by Mead tied it up 6-6. LMU added a couple, but SCU answered and tied it up 8-8. LMU scored six of the next eight to take a 14-10 lead. LMU added two of the next three out of the Bronco timeout, 16-11 LMU. SCU scored three of the next four, 17-14 LMU. LMU added three of the next four when SCU called for time, down 20-15. Lacey Maas scored in the middle for a sideout. SCU scored three of the next four, but Keil stopped the run for a set point, 24-19 LMU. SCU scored a couple more, but Amber Mirabello's kill gave LMU the set 25-21. SCU hit .222 with 15 kills (7 e, 36 att.). LMU hit .364 with 15 kills (3 e, 33 att.).
The third set began as the other two, tying it up three times. Natasha Calkins scored in the middle and Mead added an ace as SCU led 6-4. Hess crushed it cross court and SCU led 9-7. Mead scored a block solo and then Mead and Edwards collected a team block out of the LMU timeout, 12-8 SCU. Clayton scored off the block and after a Lions sideout, Clayton scored again, 14-11 SCU. LMU scored three straight to tie it up 14-14. SCU scored two of three out of its timeout to lead 17-15. LMU scored six of the next eight to take a 21-19 lead. After a Bronco timeout, Keil scored in the middle and Hess answered. LMU finished off the match scoring the next three of four, 25-21. SCU hit .211 with 13 kills (5 e, 38 att.). LMU hit .278 with 15 kills (5 e, 36 att.).
