SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (Oct. 4, 2025) – The Whittier College volleyball took its much anticipated trip up north to take on the University of California, Santa Cruz in a Saturday volleyball doubleheader. The Poets had previously beaten the Banana Slugs, 3-1, during this year's Whittier College Volleyball Invitational, and on Saturday split with the Slugs to win the season series, 2-1.
Game 1: Whittier 3, UC Santa Cruz 0
Of the three matches played against UC Santa Cruz this season, the first game of Saturday's volleyball doubleheader proved to be the Poets' best. Whittier found itself firing on all cylinders with junior middle blocker
Mia D'Amato (Bakersfield, Calif. / Garces) at the center of it all, achieving one solo block while combining on a second and adding eight kills for good measure. D'Amato was one of three Poets to achieve at least eight on the match, with classmate
Mia Rogers (Irvine, Calif. / Crean Lutheran) and team kills-leader
Malena The (Chino Hills, Calif. / Chino Hills / Westmont College) standing out as the others.
The key for the Poets proved to be the diversity in their attack, as seven different players finished points over the three-set match. The visitors' offensive efficiency shined through, hitting no less than a collective .250 in any set, maxing out at .361 in the opening frame with 16 kills to just three errors. The Poets' diversity in their approach to the defensive facet of the game also aided them with an incredible four different players achieving at least 10 digs over the three set match. Senior outside hitter
Sofia Zazueta (La Mirada, Calif. / Orange Lutheran) led with 16 digs.
In spite of the Poets posting one of their most offensively efficient performances of the season, the rallies were long and the Banana Slugs proved to be an incredible test in every set even though the Purple & Gold came out on top in all three. The final set would be extended multiple times with the Poets taking it 29-27, on the back of winning the final three points of the match. Freshmen
Lola Padilla (Fontana, Calif. / St. Lucy's) and
Morgan Kinser (Beaumont, Calif. / Beaumont) starred over these three points, each posting kills to move their team to the second match of the day with a victory in hand.
Game 2: UC Santa Cruz 3, Whittier 2
The high-energy Banana Slugs kept their energy for the second match of the day, winning a war of attrition over the Poets in five competitive sets. The extended nature of the match gave the Poets' top contributors ample opportunity to show what they can do, however. D'Amato had her best offensive game of the season to date with 15 kills to just two errors for a sterling .520 hitting percentage. She added eight digs and assisted on three blocks in a match where net play was significantly more prevalent.
Outside hitting duo Zazueta and The each reached double-digit kills themselves, but very similar to the University of La Verne game in late September, the Poets found themselves having to contend with one UC Santa Cruz player who simply couldn't miss and saw the greatest amount of offensive usage as any player on either team in either match. Whittier did manage to remain dominant on serve with nine aces to just two errors over the five-set match, and senior libero
Jessica Ferreira (Whittier, Calif. / La Serna / Cypress College), who also started the first match, had 23 digs to buoy the Poets' defensive efforts.
Head Coach
Chris Duarte-McDermott and the Poets will return to action on Tuesday, Oct. 7 when they host Pomona-Pitzer Colleges for a 7 p.m. game.
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