Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

ORANGE, Calif. – The Whittier College women's volleyball team dropped their fourth straight SCIAC contest Friday evening as they fell 25-12, 25-9, 25-16 to the Panthers of Chapman University dropping their record to 6-7, 1-4 SCIAC.

With the win Chapman improves to 11-3, 5-1 SCIAC.

For the match Whittier combined for a -.015 hitting percentage, with sets two and three having the same exact kills to error totals.  Chapman on the other end finished with a .254 hitting percentage led by Val Gieger who finished with a game high 16 kills on 31 attempts. 

Whittier started off the first set strongly as they played Chapman to a 9-9 tie early but the Panthers then began pulling away steadily growing a lead as much as twelve when they went out on a 12-0 run to extend their lead to 23-11, which was a margin too difficult for the Poets to overcome. 

The Panthers then jumped out in front in set two as they again used a 10-1 run to extend their lead early pushing the score to 12-4.  Whittier attempted to make a comeback pulling within single digits but that's as close as they would get as Chapman rolled to the second set win 25-9. 

In the third, Whittier again mounted a comeback after they trailed early 14-3 and were able to pull within eight at 21-13 but were only able to gather another three points which wasn't enough to extend the match. 

The Purple & Gold were led by Alyssa Sialaris who finished with eight kills on 27 attempts to go with seven digs, while Alayna Rigo was held to a season low six kills on 42 attempts.

Alyssa Acosta led the defensive unit for Whittier with a team high 15 digs, while Lindsey Kish finished with 10.

Freshman Torrey Mitsunaga was held to a mere nine assists, while opposing counterpart Corrine Ostrovsky had a game high 30. 

The Poets hit the road to Pasadena, Calif. this evening as they take on the Beavers of the California Institute of Technology beginning at 6:00pm.