LOS ANGELES — Santa Clara volleyball battled in three close sets Monday in the second match in as many days at LMU. The Lions topped the Broncos 25-22, 25-20, 25-23 in a West Coast Conference matchup at Gersten Pavilion. 

Santa Clara led all three sets by at least three points before LMU rallied in each of the frames to win the final match of its Spring 2021 regular season. Both teams were playing for the fourth time in five days. 

The Lions (7-9, 7-9 WCC) rolled their offensive momentum from Sunday into a .389 hitting percentage on Monday. Kari Geissberger tied for the match lead with 14 kills on .500 hitting and Audrey Klemp hit .450 with 12 kills. Isabella Bareford registered a match-best 41 assists and set the Lions to at least a .367 hitting percentage in all three sets. 

Sophia Tulino tied for the match lead with 14 kills and Julia Sangiacomo added 13 for the Broncos (4-8, 4-8). Santa Clara hit .261 as a team. 

The Broncos stormed out of the gates, winning six straight points in the first set to jump in front 8-1. Tulino had three kills in the first nine points and Michelle Shaffer also served up two straight aces. Trailing 17-15, the Lions won four straight points to take their first lead and made it a 6-1 run overall that included three kills from Geissberger. They maintained a two-point edge en route to winning the first set. 

LMU did a little bit of everything in the definitive run of the second set. The Lions flipped a 10-7 deficit into an 18-13 lead in a 14-point span. During that spree, Geissberger and Klemp recorded two kills apiece and the team also had two blocks and two aces. The Broncos won the next three points and got within two three times down the stretch. Four different Lions produced a kill in the last nine points, including the set-clincher from Rose Booth. 

Sangiacomo had six kills in the first 23 points of set three as the Broncos built a 14-9 lead. Klemp helped the Lions answer by producing three kills as the home side won the next five points to tie it up at 14-all. The set was tied at 17, 18, 22 and 23 before the Lions won two straight points to secure the win. 

NEXT UP 

Santa Clara hosts San Francisco Thursday at 6 p.m. before heading to the Hilltop to face the Dons Friday at 6 p.m. Thursday's match is senior night for Gretchen Reinert. 

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