Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Volleyball team put together a strong effort Friday night in a four set loss to No. 5 Claremont-M-S 25-13, 27-29, 27-25, 25-17.
The Purple & Gold are still looking to snap their losing skid as it moves to six games. They are now 8-13, 3-7 SCIAC. They currently sit in a tie for 6th in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Standings. Claremont-M-S on the other side improves to 18-3, 9-1 SCIAC.
After dropping a lopsided first set the Poets bounced back in the second pulling out a 29-27 frame. WC saw themselves in an 18-14 hole but managed to get out of it using a 6-0 run led by a strong serving effort from Marissa Montoya (Glendora, Calif.). She also got help from Haley Petruescu (La Mirada, Calif.), Aubrey Caires (Gardnerville, NV) and Kathea Schamblin (Bakersfield, Calif.) who combined for three kills during the run. CMS tied things up at 22-22 and it was a battle after that. Whittier had three set points after that at 24-23, 25-24, and 26-25 but couldn't secure any of them. Then after trailing 27-26 was able to make a mini run with Katelyn Popoff (Hacienda Heights, Calif.), Abby Salmon (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), and Caires going 1-2-3 with kills that gave the Poets the 2nd set.
Whittier had their opportunities in the 3rd set collecting three set points but couldn't pull any of them out. They took the momentum early building an 8-2 lead behind strikes from Schamblin, Salmon, and Popoff. CMS bounced back with a 4-0 run to get within two at 9-7. But again Whittier was able to weather the storm extending their lead to five at 16-11 following a pair of kills from Schamblin and Popoff. Whittier maintained this advantage and found themselves holding three set points at 24-21, following an attacking error, an ace from Makayla Wright (Covina, Calif.) and a kill from Jazmyn Sudbrook-Johnson (Fremont, Calif.). But CMS was able to rally with four unanswered getting two kills from Amanda Walker and two other strikes from Izzy Sakoda and Lucila Grinspan. Sudbrook-Johnson connected up the line to stop the run leveling the frame at 25-25 but after that Walker would come up big again followed by a Sarah Tritschler ace that gave CMS a 2-1 advantage.
The Athenas raced ahead in the fourth set using a 9-0 run to jump out in front 11-3. Whittier attempted a comeback late getting within seven at 22-15 following a pair of kills from Petruescu and Montoya. But it wouldn't be enough as CMS would use two WC attacking errors to pull off the road victory.
Popoff led the offense with 13 kills. Schamblin added another double double with 12 kills and 18 pick-ups and Sudbrook-Johnson and Salmon would add eight strikes apiece. Montoya was held without a kill on the night but added 13 digs in the backrow. Wright led the point finishing with 23 assists and 10 digs. Caires got solid playing time on the outside adding seven kills, while totaling five blocks.
Whittier travels today, Saturday, October 19 to take on the University of La Verne beginning at 2:00pm.
