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Dons Sweep Lions 3-0
Nov. 19, 2009
(San Francisco) - San Francisco volleyball opened the final weekend of the 2009 season Thursday with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-22, 25-22) sweep over visiting Loyola Marymount at War Memorial Gym. Sarah Mandala paced the Dons with 11 kills, for her 25th match with 10-plus kills this season.
With the victory the Dons improved to 13-13 overall, 7-6 in league action, while the Lions fell t0 12-15, 3-10 against West Coast Conference opponents.
The Dons sailed through the opening set hitting at a .222 clip while holding the Lions to a -.033 average. San Francisco went on a 10-4 run midway through the set to take a 16-10 advantage. USF then rattled off the final five points of the set, including three LMU attack errors, to take the 1-0 edge.
Loyola Marymount played a closer set in the second set, hitting .205 while holding USF to a .190 average. San Francisco took the lead from the get-go and led the entire set, with the closest LMU got to overtaking the Dons was 24-22. With the Lions looming, Alycia Cox recorded a kill to put USF in the position to sweep.
In the final set, USF took its largest lead, 18-13, before LMU came fighting back. The Lions threatened late, coming within two points on numerous occasions, but thanks to a service error at match point, San Francisco came away with the three-set sweep.
Mandala led the Dons with 11 kills, marking the lone USF player with double-digits in the category. Senior Anna Berger and sophomore Erin Kilroy each added seven, while Erin Bragg posted four.
Haley Carroll controlled the defense with 15 digs, while Leanna Ludes fell just short of a double-double with eight digs and 14 assists. Alaina Sully added 13 assists, while Bragg posted a match-high four blocks.
Loyola Marymount was paced by Ariana Covington with a match-high 16 kills and nine digs.
San Francisco will close out the season Saturday as it hosts Pepperdine at War Memorial Gym at 1 p.m. Prior to the match, USF will honor three of its own as part of the annual Senior Day events. Before the contest with the Waves, the Dons will take a moment to celebrate the accomplishments of Berger, Carroll and Lauren Quach.
