Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – After seeing themselves earn the program's second playoff berth, the Whittier College Volleyball team found themselves exiting the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Post Season Tournament following a straight sets loss 25-23, 25-13, 25-21 to the top seeded Regals of Cal Lutheran University.

This marks the third loss on the season for the Purple & Gold against Cal Lutheran but put up a fight in each meeting saving the best for last as they threatened CLU Thursday night in Gilbert Arena.

The Poets saw their season come to a close but not after a record breaking season finishing 19-10, 10-6 SCIAC breaking the single season win's record by four games, which was posted back in 1997 when the team finished 15-13 under former Head Coach Kristi Vandenberg.  But to add to that, the team also earned the program's second trip to the SCIAC Post Season tournament and the first under Head Coach Chris Duarte-McDermott.

Despite a 12 kill performance by Rebecca Slattery (Los Altos, Calif.) that led the Purple & Gold, Whittier couldn't overcome a hitting percentage of just .132, while CLU saw two players record double digit performances. 

A kill from Torrey Mitsunaga (Culver City, Calif.) followed by two attacking errors from CLU would give Whittier an early 3-0 lead in the first set.  But the Regals would rally to tie things up on three different occasions soon after before using a 5-1 run mid-way through the frame that gave them a 15-11 advantage.  After a quick timeout, Whittier fought back to win seven of nine points late that pulled them in front for the second time at 23-22 capped off with a kill from Slattery.  But CLU would tie it up with a kill from Allie Eason soon after before getting back to back responses from Eason and Jamie Smith that secured the first set.

In the second, Whittier found themselves trailing early 5-2 and saw CLU continue with the momentum for the remainder of the set as they found themselves in a 2-0 hole.

Then in the third, Whittier would rally to go in front again quickly this time 9-4 with four kills from Slattery and two from Lowden but the lead would soon be short-lived as the Regals would add 11 of the next 14 points that gave them a 15-12 lead a lead they wouldn't relinquish as they would hold on for the 25-21 victory clinching the sweep.  

Lowden finished second in kills with seven and registered 11 digs.  Mitsunaga totaled 15 assists and had eight digs, Jennifer Estrada (Pasadena, Calif.) picked up nine digs in the back row and Haley Whyte (Mission Viejo, Calif.) went 4 and 2 in kills and blocks.

Cal Lutheran enters into the SCIAC Post Season Tournament Final as they take on No. 2 Claremont-M-S.