Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Whittier College volleyball team wrapped up day one of the Leopard Invitational Friday splitting on the afternoon beating Widener 25-20, 25-23, 25-13 before falling to Nazareth 25-18, 25-22, 32-30.

Game 1 (Widener, W, 25-20, 25-23, 25-13)
The Poets snapped the Prides four match winning streak winning in straights.  Whittier combined to hit .240 as a team led by Rebecca Slattery (Los Altos, Calif.) who had 15 kills on 27 attempts for a .556 hitting percentage.  She was joined by Casie Lowden (Glendora, Calif.) who registered a double double with 12 kills and 18 digs, while Haley Whyte (Mission Viejo, Calif.) combined for 11 kills, two digs and three blocks.

Jennifer Estrada (Pasadena, Calif.) had 12 digs in the backrow, while Torrey Mitsunaga (Culver City, Calif.) led the offensive unit with 29 assists.

After falling behind 4-0 in the first set the Poets would rally with seven straight to go in front 7-4 and wouldn't relinquish the lead despite seven ties, with the last coming at 20-20.  But the Purple & Gold would finish off the first set with five straight capped off with a big block from Alexis Mills (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and Lowden.

In the second Whittier trailed again 3-1 and then 11-10.  The set would go back and forth like the first with 10 ties but again WC was able to grab a slight lead late and hold on to win 25-23 to put the Pride in a 2-0 hole.

In the final frame Whittier would take the lead early and wouldn't look back as they would storm out to a 17-11 lead before finishing off the match in impressive fashion 25-13 thanks to a 6-1 run to finish things off.         

Game 2 (Nazareth, L, 25-18, 25-22, 32-30)

Whittier came back in the afternoon for their second game to take on Nazareth University a powerhouse in volleyball.  Nazareth came into the contest with a 15-1 record in their last 16 matches proving to be a tough match-up. 

But the Poets were up to the challenge staying in striking distance in the first set 13-12 until the Golden Flyers scored 12 of the next 18 points to take the first set.  The second set remained close throughout with neither team able to take a lead more than three points.  Whittier managed to even the set at 20-20 and then 22-22 late but kills from Cady Messmer and Jennifer Hicks and a ball handling error from Lauren Pogue (Simi Valley, Calif.) would give the set to the Golden Flyers.   

The third would be like the second with neither team able to take a lead more than three points.  Later in the set, Nazareth was able to stretch their lead to 20-16 but the Poets would rally scoring seven of the next 10 points to tie the frame up at 23-23 led by a big front line of Lowden, Whyte, Slattery and Mills.  Whittier would grab a set point at 27-26 and 30-29 but both were squandered by the Golden flyer attack as Nazareth would put the finishing touches on the match with kills from Maria Allocco, and Hicks, and a service ace from Alloco that secured the straight sets victory. 

Lowden was the lone Poet in double figures with 10 kills and 15 digs, while Whyte was right behind finishing with eight kills and four blocks.  Pogue got the start in front of Mitsunaga and finished with 14 assists and 10 digs.   

Whittier wraps up the tournament tomorrow, Saturday, October 11 when they take on Endicott beginning at 1:30pm.