Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – Alyssa Sialaris had a game high 16 kills but the Whittier College volleyball team lost in straight sets to Occidental College Friday night, 15-25, 20-25, 18-25.

Sialaris for the eleventh straight game recorded double digit kills after reaching the 15 plus kills plateau once again by recording 16 kills on 37 attempts for a .243 hitting percentage.  She led the team as the Poets (6-5, 1-2 SCIAC) finished with 35 kills and a .202 hitting percentage.

The Tigers (9-2, 2-1 SCIAC) however, picked up at least 13 kills in each of their three sets for the win.  Oxy hit .323 for the game.

Alyssa Mort led the Tigers with 12 kills, Stephanie Gann had 10.

Despite being outhit, the Poets held the advantage defensively, collecting five blocks and 41 digs.  The Tigers, meanwhile, finished with two blocks and 35 digs. 

Junior Alayna Rigo recorded 11 kills and was tied for the team lead in digs with nine, and sophomore Katie Heard finished with four kills in seven attempts for a .571 hitting percentage to go with three blocks (1 Solo, 2 assists).

Occidental took the first set 25-15, on the strength of 15 kills and a .379 percentage.  The Poets, meanwhile, managed a mere eight that proved to be the confounding factor late in the first. 

Whittier started with the lead in set two, but the Tigers managed to string together five straight points to open up a four point lead.  Whittier managed to pull within one at 6-5 but Oxy went on to win five of the next six points to extend their lead to 12-7.  In the second set Whittier upped their hitting percentage to .242 after hitting .111 but Occidental posted a .324 mark helping them take the second set 25-20. 

The Tigers finished the match with a 25-18 win in the third set.  The score remained close in the early stages of the set but Oxy managed to pull away once again at the 8-6 mark when they won six of the next eight points that pushed their lead to 14-8 giving them a cushion they would not give up.  Oxy hit .278 in the frame while Whittier managed a .241 clip.

The Poets hit the road and travel tomorrow, Saturday, September 22 for yet another SCIAC matchup with the Athena's from Claremont-M-S beginning at 11:00am.