Oct. 21, 2010

Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Behind a dominating effort from Ali Troost and Amy Mahinalani DeGroot, the 19th-ranked University of San Diego women's volleyball team, picked up a 3-1 (25-10, 25-15, 23-25, 25-23) win over visiting Loyola Marymount University Thursday evening in a West Coast Conference match at USD's Jenny Craig Pavilion.

With the win, the Toreros improve to 16-4 overall, remain unblemished in WCC action at 6-0 and run its winning streak to eight. With the loss, the Lions fall to 12-9 overall and 4-2 in the WCC. >

Troost led all players with her match-best 25 kills on 39 swings, while only committing one attack error top post a .615 hitting percentage. DeGroot recorded her third consecutive double-double, as she had 13 kills, recorded 18 digs and had five blocks, four of which were solo. Senior setter Kelsi Myers also had a huge night as she recorded 49 assists and had 12 digs to post her second consecutive double-double, while also helping steer the Torero offense to a .320 team attack percentage. Both C'era Oliveira (12 digs) and Kandiss Anderson (10 digs) were defensive gems for the Toreros in the win.

In the fist set, the Toreros offense was clicking on all cylinders, as they hit for a .478 clip, while the Torero defense held the Lions to a -.083 attack percentage. A LMU service error began the frame and a 7-3 San Diego run that was capped on a Chloe Ferrari kill to give the Toreros the early momentum. San Diego never let up as they then used a 9-2 run to take complete control of the match and a 18-3 lead. USD would then ease its way to a 25-10 win.

In the second set, the Toreros would continue to flex their muscle, as they out hit their opponent .320 to .000. With the score knotted at 8-8, a LMU attack error jump started a 7-3 Torero run that was book ended on a Troost kill off a set from Myers to give USD a 15-11 lead. USD would then continue its dominance as they closed out the frame on a 10-4 run to go into the break up two sets to none.

In the third set, the Lions took advantage of a poor hitting performance from the Toreros, and became the first WCC opponent to take a set off USD with a 25-23 win. Late in the set with things knotted at 22, the Lions would take a two-point edge on a USD attack error, but a Katie Hoekman kill would pull San Diego back to within one at 24-23, but it wasn't enough as the Lions avoided the sweep with a Jasmine Rankins kill.

In the fourth and final set, the Lions stunned the Toreros by again taking advantage of poor hitting in the middle of the set to grab a 15-10 lead. The Toreros then regain their composure and slowly began to chip away at the lead, and finally pulled even at 21, and again at 22 and 23 to make an exciting end to the match. A Troost kill then gave the Toreros match-point, and a Ferrari kill off a set from Myers put things away for the Toreros, with a 25-23 win.

San Diego will return to action on Saturday as they host second place Pepperdine University in a 1 p.m. WCC match.