Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Whittier College Volleyball team proved a tough test on the road Saturday as they battled with No. 6 Cal Lutheran University despite falling in straight sets 25-22, 25-18, 25-13.

The Poets jumped out of the gates quickly going in front 4-1 with kills from Rebecca Slattery (Los Altos, Calif.) and a service ace from Casie Lowden (Glendora, Calif.) but CLU would storm back capitalizing on a handful of Poet miscues as they went ahead 6-5.

The first set would continue going back and forth until Sarah Pappas and Allie Eason would put together back to back kills to put the Regals up five 20-15.  The Purple & Gold battled though after trailing 23-16 to add six in a row thanks to a strong serving performance by Jennifer Estrada (Pasadena, Calif.) that brought them within one at 23-22 but CLU would stop the run with a kill from Eason and a service ace from Jamie Smith that gave them the first set.

In the second, the match-up remained consistent with both teams not giving up any runs early until the midway mark when CLU would extend a lead to 16-9.  A handful of Whittier errors would allow the Regals to move that to 20-14 and Eason and Michelle Lawrence would put the finishing touches on the frame with back to back kills followed by a Nicki Tetherow service ace.

In the third, the Poets had things tied up at 7-7 early but an ensuing 9-0 run by the Regals would move the score to 16-7 as they would run away with the sweep winning 15 of the next 16 points.

Slattery led the offense with nine kills, Estrada had 15 digs in the backrow, Olive Anagu (Culver City, Calif.) would grab 4 block assists, and Torrey Mitsunaga (Culver City, Calif.) would collect a team high 14 assists.