Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Volleyball team was unable to hold a lead Saturday evening as they saw Occidental College rally from a 2-0 deficit to come back to win in a five set thriller 24-26, 24-21, 16-25, 25-18, 15-13 that spoiled Senior Night.

With the loss the Poets finish off the season with a three game losing skid and wrap up their 2016 campaign 9-18, 5-11 SCIAC. 

Prior to the game Head Coach Chris Duarte-McDermott recognized his four seniors who were taking part in their final game of their collegiate career.  These seniors included Casie Lowden (Glendora, Calif.), Rebecca Slattery (Los Altos, Calif.), Hunter Durham (Kennewick, WA), and Jasmine Tong (Fullerton, Calif.).

It was a tight first set with the lead going back and forth, which included eight ties.  Back to back kills from Alaina Rhee (Kent, WA), and Slattery pulled Whittier within one at 23-22.  Oxy had two set points at 24-22 but they couldn't convert after that as the Purple & Gold fought back winning four straight led by Olive Anagu (Culver City, Calif.) who had two kills during the stretch.

This would put Whittier in front 1-0 but the match would soon be deadlocked after Oxy fought their way back in the second set.  Whittier strung together six in a row with three straight kills from Slattery, Camryn Purdom (Moreno Valley, Calif.), and Lowden that gave WC a 13-10 lead but it wouldn't hold as the Tigers would rally putting together a 6-1 run of their own that secured the win.    

In the third, Whittier put the momentum back on their side late following five ties.  Leading 18-15, the Poets wrapped up the frame with seven of the final eight points, capped off with a service ace from Durham and two kills from Kyriaki Tsigkounis (Rialto, Calif.).

But the 2-1 lead wouldn't hold.  With the third set all tied up at 17-17, Oxy rallied and deadlocked the match again after an impressive 9-2 run that closed out the stanza.

This forced the match into a decisive fifth set, which Whittier controlled until the very end.  The Poets held a 9-4 advantage but saw three in a row from Oxy that pulled them within two.  Anagu ended the Tiger spurt with a kill but they remained determined to complete the comeback.  Rhee put WC in front 13-9 with the Poet faithful looking on to a final victory in the GAC, but that would be spoiled as Occidental would add the final six points, which included two kills from Amanda Herold and Claire Strohm.  

Slattery finished with 14 kills and had five blocks.  Lowden registered 11 kills and had 13 digs, while Anagu posted 10 kills and four block assists.  Purdom led the offensive attack with 20 assists coupled with 12 digs.  Durham led the back row with 20 digs, while Clarissa Standafer (Alta Loma, Calif.) finished with 10 digs.  Tong rounded out the Poets scoring with 16 assists and 10 digs.