Oct. 3, 2013

Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Four players recorded double-digit kills, paced by Chloe Ferrari's match-high 19, to help the 14th-ranked University of San Diego women's volleyball team rally back from a 2-0 deficit to claim a 3-2 win over Loyola Marymount University Thursday evening in a West Coast Conference match at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.

With the dramatic 22-25, 26-28, 25-20, 28-26, 15-10 win, the Toreros improve to 10-3 overall and move to 2-2 in the WCC. With the loss, the Lions fall to 8-6 overall and 3-2 in the WCC.

Ferrari recorded her 19 kills on 34 swings, while only committing three errors to hit for a .471 clip. Both Alaysia Brown and Sandra Lozic recorded 13 kills a piece, with Lozic also recording 12 digs to post a double-double. The final Torero in double-digit kills was Taylor Hollins, who had 12 kills. Jianna Bonomi recorded 41 assists in helping steer the Torero offense to a .210 team attack percentage, while C'era Oliveira recorded 15 digs to lead the defense.

In the first set, it was a close nit affair in the early going, as both teams took their turn with the lead, and neither team had a lead bigger than two. Then with the score knotted at 7-all, a LMU service error sparked a 5-2 San Diego run to give USD the momentum. The Lions however would claw their way right back into the contest with a 5-1 run of their own, to take a 14-13 lead. LMU would then manage to continue that momentum and eventually took a 19-15 lead, forcing the Toreros into a timeout. Our of the break, the two teams would trade point-for-point until the score was at 23-21 in favor of the Lions, but the Toreros could not get any closer, as LMU held on to claim a 25-22 win.

In the second set, the Lions would build off the momentum from the first frame and raced out to a 6-1 lead. The Toreros then slowly began to chip away at the lead and eventually pulled even with the Lions at 12-all on a Brown kill. It was then a back and forth affair for the remainder of the set, as both teams would have the lead, and neither team would take a lead bigger than two. Then with USD up 24-23, LMU called a timeout, and were able to get the very next point to even things up a 24-all. USD would then managed to take set-point one more time at 25-24, but LMU would then close out the set on a 4-1 run, to take a 2-0 lead going into the break.

In the third set, the two teams would engage in a battle right out of the gates and trade point-for-point, not allowing the other team to get too far ahead. Then with the score knotted at 18-all, a LMU attack error would spark a 2-0 USD run to force the Lions into a timeout. San Diego then refused to be denied on their home court, as they closed out the frame on a 5-2 run to force a fourth frame.

In the fourth set, it was close in the early going, but then with the score knotted at 4-4, the Lions would go on a 9-3 run to grab all the momentum and a 13-7 lead, forcing the Toreros into a timeout. LMU would then go on to build up a lead to as many at eight at 17-9, and were seeming in control of things. However, USD had other ideas in mind, as a LMU service error then ignited a 6-3 Torero run that was bookended on a LMU attack error, to move the score to 20-15 in favor of the visitors. After a 4-2 USD run pulled the Toreros to within three at 22-19, USD would use their final timeout. LMU then grabbed the next two points to give themselves match-point at 24-21. Then with their backs against the wall, the Toreros simply dominated, as they used a 4-0 run to take set-point at 25-24. LMU then grabbed the next two points to take match-point back at 26-25, but a Bonomi kill sparked a 3-0 Torero run to force a fifth and deciding set.

In the fifth and final set, the Toreros grabbed the early momentum and raced out to a 7-3 lead, forcing the Lions into a timeout. Out of the break, the Lions went on a 4-0 run to pull even with San Diego at 7-all, forcing USD into a timeout. San Diego did not panic, as they then went on a 5-0 run to regain the momentum, and they never looked back, as they went on to claim the come-from-behind win with a 15-10 win.

The Toreros will return to action on Saturday, as they head up to Malibu, to take on Pepperdine University in a 1 p.m. WCC match at the Firestone Fieldhouse.