SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Nikki Hess led a balanced offensive attack with a team-high 11 kills and Kirsten Mead recorded a double-double with 35 assists and 14 digs to lead Santa Clara volleyball to an impressive 3-1 road victory Saturday afternoon against surging Loyola Marymount.
The Broncos (15-12, 6-9), who won for the third time in their last four outings, claimed the first two sets 26-24, 25-21 before the Lions closed the gap with a 25-23 victory in the third. Santa Clara closed out the West Coast Conference matchup by holding on to win the fourth 25-22 behind a match-best .367 hitting percentage.
Sabrina Clayton and Hailey Lindberg each tallied nine kills, and Jensen Cunningham added eight for the Broncos who swept the season series from the Lions by registering a .194 hitting percentage, forcing 30 attack errors and posting nine service aces.
Sarah Sponcil had a match-high 16 kills and Jamie Lea chipped in 13 for the Lions (18-10, 9-7) who posted a .179 hitting percentage in seeing their four-match winning streak snapped, each of which came via a sweep.
The Broncos rallied to win the two opening sets and kept the Lions at bay at the end of the fourth to keep the match from reaching a fifth set.
An ace by Clayton gave the Bronocs a 21-16 in the fourth set before the Lions closed to within 23-22 on a kill by Savannah Slattery, but an LMU service error and attack error ended the match.
Santa Clara trailed 21-14 in the opening set before scoring eight of the next nine points to knot it at 22-all. The Broncos were able to take advantage of three straight attack errors to close the set.
In the second set, the Broncos were down 21-19 after an ace by Sponcil, but they scored the next six points to end it. Back-to-back kills from Hess and Taylor Laugero started the rally and then an attack error ended it.
LMU entered the match with the No. 53 RPI in the nation, third-best in the WCC, which puts them in consideration for an NCAA Tournament berth.
Santa Clara posted nine or more service aces for the fifth time this season.
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