Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

REDLANDS, Calif. – The Whittier College Volleyball team fought from being a set down Saturday afternoon to win in five over the University of Redlands 14-25, 25-13, 21-25, 25-18, 15-11 spoiling the Bulldogs Homecoming Weekend. 

The Purple & Gold remain in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Post-Season Tournament hunt but will need some help as they improve to 9-15, 5-8 SCIAC. 

UR jumped out to a hot 6-1 start in the first set.  Whittier put together a run of five unanswered with kills from Aubrey Caires (Garnderville, NV) and Rebecca Slattery (Los Altos, Calif.) and a service ace from Camryn Purdom (Moreno Valley, Calif.).  But despite pulling within eight, it wouldn't be enough as the Bulldogs would taker an early 1-0 lead.

The momentum shifted in the second with the Poets hitting .423 and taking an early 10-3 lead, which they would hold throughout as they would tie things up at 1-1 after a decisive 25-13 frame.

UR would bounce back however in the third going in front 9-4 early.  Whittier would add five of six later on to pull within one at 14-13 following service aces from Dominique Almuena (La Mirada, Calif.).  But the Maroon and Grey would add eight of the next ten points that extended their lead to 24-17.  WC put together a 6-2 run themselves to battle back late with a kill from Olive Anagu (Culver City, Calif.) and an ace from Jasmine Tong (Fullerton, Calif.) but it wouldn't be enough as UR would stop the run with a kill from Kaylee Burdick.

Trailing 2-1, the Poets had their backs up against the wall but they would answer the bell.  Going in front 8-3 led by Slattery who had two kills during the spurt.  A 5-2 run extended the lead to six at 16-10 and Whittier would cruise from there putting together four straight with four kills from Casie Lowden (Glendora, Calif.), Alaina Rhee (Kent, WA), Anagu, and Slattery.

Purdom and Alexis Mills (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) would put the finishing touches on the fourth set as they would unleash two kills themselves that leveled the match 2-2.

In the fifth its all about who gets out of the gates quickly and for Whittier they did just that.  Leading 8-4 and not looking back, the Purple & Gold kept the momentum on their side hitting .364 and getting a kill late from Caires and a service ace from Clarissa Standafer (Alta Loma, Calif.). 

Slattery put the finishing touches on the match giving the Poets the come from behind victory putting together back to back kills.

Slattery finished with 19 kills on 43 attempts hitting .302.  Lowden totaled seven kills and Caires and Anagu each registered five.  Lowden totaled 20 digs to lead the back row and Standafer had 16.  Purdom finished with 26 assists and Mills was big up front with a combined six blocks.                 

Whittier returns home for three straight home contests beginning with Chapman this Tuesday, October 25 beginning at 7:00pm.