The Loyola Marymount University women’s volleyball team ran its record to 5-1 with two wins and a loss at last weekend’s Utah State Invitational in Logan, Utah.
On Aug. 31, the Lions lost to 24th-ranked Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in a five-set thriller in which they rallied from two sets down before the Mustangs prevailed. The scores: 25-23, 25-22, 19-26, 28-30, 15-12, with 23 ties and seven lead changes in the fourth set alone, until LMU’s Meredith Teague and Bo Chulo came up with the big plays to score the final two points.
LMU later that day defeated host Utah State in straight sets — 25-22, 26-24, 25-21 — and on Sept. 1 beat Texas-Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), 25-14, 28-26, 25-17. Head coach Aaron Mansfield praised his team’s resiliency in coming back after the Cal Poly loss to focus on the matches in front of them.
“I'm proud of how we bounced back,” said Mansfield. “Even with a different lineup, we found ways to be successful.”
This weekend, the Lions travel to Lawrence, Kansas, to play Auburn and American University on Sept. 7, and host Kansas on Sept. 8. LMU returns home to play Southern Utah Sept. 14 (at Long Beach) and Lamar Sept. 15 (at LMU) before opening the West Coast Conference season Sept. 20 in Spokane against Gonzaga.
Women’s soccer: Narrow loss to Indiana
Another strong late-game effort fell short for LMU at Sullivan Field Sept. 2, as the Lions (2-3-1) were edged 2-1 by Indiana.
The Hoosiers scored in the 70th and 82nd minutes to take a 2-0 lead before the Lions tallied in the 85th minute. Shelby Cormier played a corner kick into the box where Jalyn Lupo passed to Maki Kono for the goal.
The Lions had another opportunity in the final two minutes, taking a series of shots that were blocked, one of them inches from crossing the goal line. Indiana goalkeeper Bethany Kopel saved seven shots, while LMU goalie Charlee Pruitt saved four.
LMU heads this week to Chicago, facing Northwestern on Sept. 6 and DePaul on Sept. 9.
Mike Nelson is the former editor of the Tidings (predecessor to Angelus News).
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