Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

POMONA, Calif. – Whittier College bounced back from being a set down in their first match against North Central (Ill.) but was unable to hold on as they dropped the next two falling 15-25, 25-22, 23-25, 20-25 in their season opener.  In the second match WC dominated Colby Sawyer, winning 25-17, 25-17, 25-15.   

In the first match, the Poets were led by senior Alyssa Sialaris and junior Alayna Rigo who both recorded double-doubles.  Sialaris led WC with 16 kills on 43 attempts for a .163 hitting percentage.  She also recorded 14 digs. Rigo was just as efficient and finished with 10 kills and 13 digs.  Junior setter Maria Montero and senior Victoria Larios led the offense by dishing out 17 and 16 assists, each respectively.  On defense Alyssa Acosta led the Poets finishing with 18 digs.

Whittier got down early in the first set but crawled their way back to even the match in the second set jumping out to an early lead and maintaining that lead throughout but was unable to capitalize on North Central miscues late in the next two sets inducing the loss in four. 

The second match of the day belonged to  the Purple & Gold as they finished with a combined 45 kills from nine different players with junior Megan Kirkpatrick, Sialaris, and Rigo leading the charge each finishing with 8 kills.

Whittier played tough defense and left little doubt in the fan's minds as they took down Colby Sawyer in straight sets cruising to a lopsided 25-17, 25-17, 25-15 victory to earn their first victory of the season.

Sialaris led the Poet charge with a .571 hitting percentage, while Lindsey Kish and Kirkpatrick finished with .462 and .429 hitting percentages.  Freshman Torrey Mitsunaga played all three sets for the Poets finishing with a game high 34 assists jump starting her collegiate career.  Defensively, Kish led the Poets with 11 digs and three solo blocks.

Freshmen Ruth Guziec and Ashley Vinsonhaler made their college debuts for the Poets both playing in two sets.  Guziec finished with one assist and two digs, while Vinsonhaler finished with one kill and seven digs.   

The Purple & Gold continue their season as they complete the Pacific Coast Classic tomorrow, Sept. 1 against No. 14 Colorado College and Alverno with times slated for 11:00am and 1:30pm.