COSTA MESA – In their final nonconference match of the season, women's volleyball fell 3-1 against #5 Point Loma Thursday evening inside the Freed Center. The Lions would force 29 ties and seven lead changes throughout the match, but dropped set scores of 22-25, 18-25, 25-21, and 22-25. VU moves to 15-6, 3-4, while Loma shifts to 19-2, 7-0.

The contest featured a scrappy defensive battle between the two teams, as two of the best offenses in the league were held to a standstill. The Lions clasped the Pacific West Conference Team of the Week Point Loma to their second-lowest attack percentage of the season at .175 (56-27-166), but VU themselves could only clip at a .176 tally (48-19-165).

Loma made the difference with timely side outs, firm defensive resolve, and a career-high effort from Saren Rogers, who had nearly half of the team's kills with 24 kills on .308 (24-8-52) hitting.

What Happened? The match started with a two-all split, but VU pulled away with an in-rhythm Adeline Galvanoni pinning three of four VU kills to go up 7-3. Payton Darm opened her account from the middle, and back to kills from Delaney Hill built the Vanguard lead to 10-8.

The Lions kept Loma on the back foot for the vast majority of the frame, leading all the way to the 17-13 mark of the set, after a crisp connection on a gap set between Macy Kavanaugh and Darm. Loma, however, unloaded a 6-0 run to stamp the only lead change of the stanza and shift the dynamic.

VU committed four of their total six attack errors in the stretch, putting the Sea Lions up 19-18. The Blue and Gold never rekindled their groove from the early stages of the set, falling 25-22.

Set 2- Despite 10 ties and two lead changes, the second frame was Loma's highest margin of victory on the night. They trimmed down some errors to hit their match-best .257 (13-4-35), while Vanguard were glued at .175 (13-6-40).

Morgan Cole suffered the first attack error of the set, but made the difference on the next rally with a kill to grant VU their first point. The Lions then took the lead after a PLNU service error, and steered their way forward with a kill from Kayla Robinson and an impressive adjustment on the approach from Viktoria Dickson for two successive points.

The Sea Lions pushed out a 3-0 run to go up 8-6, but Dickson had more to deliver to keep the Blue and Gold in punching distance over the next three ties. PLNU pulled away on the decisive run through Rogers, who prompted the 8-2 run to hand PLNU a 19-13 lead. The Lions earned two more kills in the remainder of the frame, with Loma using two late aces and a pair of Rogers' kills to win the stanza 25-18.

Set 3- Vanguard's set three win was their first match win over Loma since 2011, and like everything else between both teams on the evening, was far from easy.

Both teams produced a defensive spectacle, with VU's gritty showing at the net and Loma's persistent pickups in serve receive. The greatest difference came with Vanguard's ability to finally flip points on long rallies, as well as PLNU's inconsistencies in attack.

VU had their first two points via Loma attack errors and netted their first kill on a powerful pin hit from Galvanoni. Robinson was next in line to showcase her impact scoring on back-to-back plays with a clever tip shot and dominant block at the front row (5-5).

The Lions raced ahead on a 7-4 run, which featured four different Lion scorers in open play and a Kate Fagundes ace. Loma did make a stride back to come within two (14-12 VU), but their cluster of attack errors hindered any pivotal push at the Vanguard lead. The Lions ended the set on a 5-2 run, with three kills in a row from Galvanoni for the 25-21 set win.

VU swung their match-best .200 (11-3-40), stalling PLNU to a match-worst  at .085 (13-9-47).

Set 4- The closing set was all about Rogers, who made up for Loma's eight attack errors with eight kills in the frame, keeping the Sea Lions at a high functioning .216 (19-8-51). The Lions enjoyed extended minutes from Abigayle Gotwals and her four kills, but as a unit could not quite match PLNU's firepower, hitting .160 (12-4-50).

The Sea Lions had an early 4-1 lead, but three PLNU attack errors kept the Lions in the set. Loma sported two more kills from Rogers and a high-level dump to the back row to stay in front 7-6. The visitors stayed ahead, but VU utilized a 4-1 run to level the score at 11. The move was marked with kills from Gotwals, Galvanoni, and Fagundes's second ace of the night.

PLNU erased the push with a 4-1 run of their own, which featured three more Rogers kills. VU trailed within one until the 17-16 PLNU mark, when the Sea Lions went on a 5-2 run to plant their largest lead (22-18 PLNU). Gotwals grabbed two late kills to force a timeout, but PLNU held on for the eventual 25-22 set win.

For the match, Galvanoni led the Lions with 12 kills, followed by Hill, who churned out 10 kills on .320 hitting. Fagundes collected the team-high 17 digs with five assists and two aces. Dickson had eight kills and ten digs, while Robinson earned the game-high five blocks. VU's top assister was Sarah Wold with 19, followed closely by Kavanaugh, who picked up 18.

What's Next? VU has Azusa Pacific on the way Saturday, November 1, at 7 pm as they return to the PacWest action.