Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
REDLANDS, Calif. – The Whittier College volleyball team Friday night fought back from being down two sets to Redlands only to fall 16-14 in the fifth set after leading early in the frame. This marks the fifth straight loss for the Purple & Gold with just three games remaining on their 2013 schedule.
The previous time these two teams met in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener back on September 10 the Poets emerged victorious earning a 25-18, 19-25, 25-11, 25-21 victory. But this time around the Poets were unable to claw their way back dropping their first five setter on the season.
The Poets however still have an opportunity to tie or even beat the Whittier College volleyball win record, which is held by the 1997 squad, which finished the season 15-13 when Kristi Vandenberg was the coach. Whittier currently sits tied for the second best record in Whittier College volleyball history with a 13-14 record with just three games remaining against Chapman, Caltech, and La Verne.
After hitting .059 and .139 in the first two sets the Poets fought back in the third and fourth to level the match at two earning 25-21 and 25-21 victories. The Poets jumped out in front in the 5th set 7-3 capped off with a kill by Lauren Whiteman (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) but the Bulldogs came back and chipped away at the Poet lead leveling the set at 12-12. UR took their first lead of the frame after an attacking error by Lindsey Kish (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and then had a match point thanks to a kill by Allison Jensen but the Purple & Gold fought back with back to back attacking errors by UR to even the final stanza once more. Whittier then received their first match point after a kill by Kish to go in front 15-14 but immediately following the Poets saw the Bulldogs rattle off three unanswered due to three attacking errors by the Poets that gave them the victory.
Alayna Rigo (Chino Hills, Calif.) led the Poets with 12 kills along with 14 digs, while Casie Lowden (Glendora, Calif.) posted 10 kills along with 4 block assists. Rebecca Slattery (Los Altos, Calif.) and Kish each finished with nine kills apiece.
In the back row, Alyssa Acosta (Whittier, Calif.) posted a team high 21 digs, while Maria Montero (Hemet, Calif.), Torrey Mitsunaga (Culver City, Calif.) and Adriana Moore (La Habra, Calif.) had 13, 12, and 10 digs, each respectively.
For Redlands, Morgan Buckner had a game high 18 kills to go with 14 digs, while Marisa Gile had 10 kills and 10 block assists.
Defensively UR saw four players reach double digits in digs led by Karly Burningham who had a game high 26.
Whittier returns to the court tomorrow, Saturday, October 26 when they host Chapman University beginning at 1:00pm.
