Loyola Marymount Wins in a Thriller

The Loyola Marymount women’s volleyball, led by Jaimee Brubacher’s 24 kills, held off Southeast Missouri State, 15-8, 15-6, 11-15, 5-15, 20-18, in a first-round Pacific Region NCAA tournament game Thursday night at Santa Barbara.

Sarah McFarland, the national leader in kills, did not play in the first three games for the Lions (20-10) because of an ankle injury she suffered Wednesday in practice. But after Southeast Missouri State (28-6) won the third game and took a 10-1 lead in the fourth, she entered the match.

“When I played, I tried not to think about the sprain,” McFarland said. “It’s still a little sore.”

Southeast Missouri State had won 28 of its last 29 matches and 21 in a row. It was Southeast Missouri’s second loss to Loyola this season.

UC Santa Barbara (26-5) defeated Oral Roberts (23-12), 15-11, 15-9, 15-8, and will play Loyola in the second round.

Pepperdine, USC and Long Beach State play first-round matches tonight, and UCLA will play Saturday.