LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Completing the second of three matches on their final road trip of the fall season, the University of San Francisco volleyball team (0-24, 0-16) battled early against LMU (16-11, 7-10) on Saturday afternoon at Gersten Pavilion, but ultimately fell to the Lions, 3-1.
 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• Getting out to a hot start out of the gates, the Dons jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the first set following three attack errors from the LMU and kills from Katie Wagstaff and Kellen Martins. Moments later, USF used another 5-0 stretch to extend their advantage to 12-4, which included another kill from Martins and Orsula Staka. As the action continued, the Lions climbed back to pull within one point, 20-19, but the Dons locked in when it mattered most to close out the set and secure the first point of the match, 25-21.
• To begin set two, USF gained the advantage to start with a 2-0 lead, but LMU responded with a 9-3 run to go in front, 9-5. Looking to answer with a streak of their own, Wagstaff kept the Dons within seven, 22-15, with another kill, but the Lions buckled down to even the match at one by taking the second set, 25-16.
• Unable to find much rhythm in the next set, LMU flexed their muscle with a 12-1 run to open the third set to hold an early 13-2 lead. Not going down without a fight, USF reeled off three straight points at the end of set, which included another kill from Staka, but the Lions held on to grab their second point of the match, 25-13.
• Similar to the third set, LMU began the fourth set with a 9-3 advantage, but the Dons stayed within six points, 16-10, on back-to-back kills from Staka midway through. Battling until the final whistle, Lana Kutakhina logged a kill in the following minutes as USF remained within four, 19-15. Defending their home court, the Lions would go on a 6-1 run to close out the set, 25-16, and the match, 3-1.

NOTABLE PEFORMANCES:

• Leading the charge offensively, Martins paced the Dons with a team-high 8 kills, marking her second most in a match so far this season.
• For Aylen Ayub, the second-year setter tallied 20+ assists for the tenth time this year with 24 assists against LMU on Saturday.
• Defensively, Sara Denham recorded a team-high 16 digs, marking her second most in a match this fall as she has now also notched double digit digs in four straight matches. 

UP NEXT:
USF will play their final match of the 2021 fall season this upcoming Tuesday, Nov. 23 when they return to the Bay Area for a 7:00 pm matchup at Saint Mary's. Live streaming and live statistics will be available via the team's schedule page.
 
FOLLOW US:
For more information and updates on the University of San Francisco volleyball program, be sure to follow the Dons on Twitter @USFDonsVB, @USFDonsVB on Instagram and @USFDonsVball on Facebook.