Despite losing the first two games of the match, Whittier College bounced back to win the final three games in dramatic fashion and take a 3-2 victory from Occidental College at the Graham Athletics Center on October 23.  It is the second conference win for the Poets (3-17, 2-9) and they avenge a 3-1 loss to Occidental (6-12, 3-8) on September 28.

The Poets lost the first game 30-16 after making six attacking errors and giving up 13 Occidental kills.  The second game was intensely competitive, but the Poets fell short to lose 30-26.  The Poets came back in the third game with sixteen kills and just one attacking error while the Tigers had just six kills and committed five errors.  The Poets took game three, 30-24, and won game four by the same score thanks to 21 kills in 54 attempts.  With all the momentum on their side, the Poets put the match away in game five by a convincing 15-5 margin.

The Poets were led by Shanell McMillen '08 who finished with a match-high 23 kills and 12 digs.  Victoria Larios '11 had a double-double as well, racking up 13 kills and 19 digs.  Shannon Orlins '11 also had 13 kills and added six digs.  Jennifer Salas '10 led the Poets defense with 20 digs.  Bibi Gonzalez '09 was credited with a team-high 38 assists.  She also had eight kills and eight digs.

Occidental was led by Emily Wagner with 15 kills and Sonia Huizar with ten kills and a match-high 25 digs.  Kathryn Bockmon and Shannon Klebe finished with 17 digs apiece. 

The Poets take to the road for their next match; a meeting with SCIAC leader, nationally ranked #6 University of La Verne on October 26.  The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30pm.