Sophomore Toni Alugbue

Loyola Marymount Blocks Its Way To 3-1 Win Over Notre Dame

Sept. 15, 2012

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Loyola Marymount 3, ND 1 Get Acrobat Reader

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Behind a powerful front line that blocked 17 shots, Loyola Marymount took down the Notre Dame volleyball team, 3-1 (25-18, 25-13, 19-25, 25-20), at Purcell Pavilion on Saturday during day two of the Golden Dome Invitational.

The Lions, who lost to Kansas 3-0 on Friday, put together a complete match against the Irish, tallying 17 blocks and pounding out 57 kills on their way to hitting .333 for the match. Four Lions reached double figures in kills including Litara Keil and Kathleen Luft, who had 13 each. Kiel had 10 blocks, while Kenna Crouse had seven to lead the Lions. The Irish were undone by errors throughout, as they had 27 attack errors in hitting just .157 for the match.

Double-digit kill efforts by Toni Alugbue (13), Jeni Houser (10) and Andie Olsen (10) paced the Irish. Alugbue also had 11 digs to post another double-double.

Notre Dame closes out the Golden Dome Invitational on Sunday against a talented Kansas squad that is off to an 11-1 start and is undefeated this weekend with wins over Loyola Marymount and Xavier.

LMU took the first two sets in quick fashion, posting wins of 25-18 and 25-13. Notre Dame was tied as late as 16-16 in set one, but behind the serving of Betsi Metter and Taylor Scioscia, the Lions reeled off five straight points to make it 21-16 followed by four straight points to end the set. In set two the Lions took off with the score tied at four. A 10-3 run made the score 14-7 and then an 8-2 run pushed the lead to 22-9. A kill by Felicia Arriola gave the Lions a 2-0 lead heading into the break.

Down but not out, the Irish took set three, 25-19, to trim the lead to 2-1. The teams went back and forth during the early portions of the set, as the margin was only one at 16-15. But behind the serving of Kathleen Severyn, the Irish took a 20-15 lead before two kills by Alugbue and a block by Houser and Marie Roof pushed the match to a fourth set.

Notre Dame was five points away from forcing a fifth set, but couldn’t hold off the Lions as Loyola Marymount rattled off seven consecutive points to win the set, 25-20. The Irish held a 20-18 lead, but Arricola took the serve and the Lions front line went to work. Four blocks, two kills and a bad set later, the Lions finished off the Irish to earn the 3-1 victory.

–ND–