Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

REDLANDS, Calif. – The Whittier College Volleyball team came away with their third straight victory Tuesday evening as they held on for a 25-22, 21-25, 25-19, 20-25, 15-11 victory over the University of Redlands in Currier Gym.­

For just the third time this season the Poets have been pushed to a five setter splitting on their previous two match-ups.  But with the win the Poets move to 17-9, 8-6 SCIAC and have a firm grasp on the No. 4 slot in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) standings with two matches to play.

With their backs against the wall down 2-1 and 17-12 in the fourth set, the Bulldogs fired off a 9-0 run that propelled them to the come from behind victory forcing the match to a fifth.  But the Poets came up big stealing the show despite the tough crowd of the Bulldog faithful.

The first set was a back and forth battle up until the final points where the Purple & Gold managed to hold onto a three point lead 23-20.  An ensuing service error by the Poets and a service ace by UR would pull them within one but that's as close as they would get as a ball handling error by Lauren Ellingwood and a kill by Rebecca Slattery (Los Altos, Calif.) would put the Poets in front.

In the second, UR jumped out in front putting together a 6-0 run that gave them an 8-2 lead.  They would go on to extend it to 13-7 before a Poet mini-run of four unanswered would bring the Purple & Gold within two at 17-15.  Whittier would pull within two on two more occasions (20-18 & 22-20) by Redlands would win three of the final four points that leveled the match at 1-1.

UR would put together another run of five straight that gave them a small lead 11-9 in the third.  They would increase that to 16-13 but the Purple & Gold would battle back winning 12 of the next 15 points capped off with back to back kills in the middle by Haley Whyte (Mission Viejo, Calif.) that put WC in front 2-1.         

With the Poets leading 17-12 in the fourth stanza, UR's Ellie McLeod would find middle blocker Kiersten Langerud for a quick one, two combo.  McLeod then proceeded to serve the next eight points for the Maroon and Gray's 21-17 advantage.  During this run, Ashton Martin and Langerud teamed up for a pair of blocks, while the duo also joined Kaylee Burdick for an attack at the net.

After Whittier answered with a kill from Casie Lowden (Glendora, Calif.), the Bulldogs quickly responded with another Langerud kill to make it 22-18.

Martin then uncorked a kill before teaming up with Burdick for another block for set point.  Kailee McCoy then sealed the deal for Redlands with an ace, forcing a fifth and deciding set.

In the deciding set, the Poets broke a six-all tie in the final frame with a service ace from Jasmine Tong (Fullerton, Calif.) and a tip to the corner from Carly Taylor (Las Vegas) and down the stretch it was all Whittier as Taylor and Lowden would take over combining for four kills holding off any chance of a Bulldog comeback.

SCIAC Athlete of the Week, Slattery finished with 15 kills, had four digs and three block assists.  Lowden finished with 14 and 20 digs, while Taylor totaled a season high 10 kills on 19 attempts for a .474 hitting percentage.  Freshman Kyriaki Tsigkounis (Rialto, Calif.) had a breakout game as well finishing with nine kills and totaling two block assists, while Torrey Mitsunaga (Culver City, Calif.) and Tong each had 26 assists. 

In the backrow, Jennifer Estrada (Pasadena, Calif.) totaled 20 digs, with Clarissa Standafer (Alta Loma, Calif.) and Tong tallying 14 and 11, each respectively.  Whyte rounded out the scoring with eight kills in the middle, had four service aces, had four assists and four block assists.      

This Friday, October 30 the Poets host Pomona-Pitzer during their first annual Black Out Block Party where they will recognize their senior class prior to the game, which is set to begin at 7:30pm.