Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

Whittier, Calif. – The Whittier College Volleyball team made quick work of the Bulldogs of the University of Redlands inside of the Graham Athletic Center Saturday night in just over an hour 25-16, 25-18, 25-17.

The Purple & Gold improve now to 17-7, 8-4 SCIAC and have now swept the competition for the seventh time this season. 

Whittier hit .243 in the first set and jumped out in front 8-3 and didn't look back.  Redlands pulled within one later at 13-12 but a 9-2 run to end the frame put UR in an early hole. 

In the second, the Bulldogs had a spark early jumping in front 7-3 following five unanswered but the Poets responded with their own run of five straight thanks to a strong serving effort by Alaina Rhee (Kent, WA).  This gave WC a 12-10 advantage and they would hold it as a late 6-0 spurt behind Clarissa Standafer (Alta Loma, Calif.) serving would move the score to 20-14 right in front of back to back kills from Jazmyn Sudbrook-Johnson (Fremont, Calif.) and Makenzie Thieme (Corona, Calif.), which secured the second frame.

In the third it got worse for the Bulldogs as WC opened up the final stanza with a 6-1 burst out of the gates with Standafer holding strong serving.  UR battled to pull within four at 20-16 but kills from Ashley Whittall (Norwalk, Calif.) and Thieme would stretch the lead back to seven before Thieme would put the finishing touches with another strike that secured the sweep.

Thieme finished with 12 kills, hitting .241.  Alexis Mills (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and Whittall each added seven kills, with Mills adding four blocks and Whittall with 10 digs.  Camryn Purdom (Moreno Valley, Calif.) led the point with 20 assists and a team high 16 digs, while Standafer added seven digs and a service ace.            

Whittier travels next week on Tuesday, October 24 as they take on Caltech beginning at 7:00pm.