WHITTIER, Calif. (Sept. 26, 2025) – An emotional, back-and-forth affair saw the Whittier College volleyball team nearly do the unthinkable and knock off the University of La Verne, the No. 1-ranked volleyball team in the nation. Instead, the Poets came four points shy of claiming victory, but still took two key sets off the Leopards while simultaneously proving they belong on the same court with one of Division III's elite teams.
The Poets received contributions from all participants, with junior middle blocker
Mia D'Amato (Bakersfield, Calif. / Garces) delivering one of her best games of the season and sophomore outside hitter
Malena The (Chino Hills, Calif. / Chino Hills / Westmont College) continuing to show why she's a top outside player in the SCIAC. However, junior
Mia Rogers (Irvine, Calif. / Crean Lutheran) also stepped up in a huge way, coming off the bench to notch 12 kills of her own while freshman
Lola Padilla (Fontana, Calif. / St. Lucy's) rounded out double-digit contributors with 13 kills. Rogers had flashed her talent in the past at multiple positions, but on Friday showed what she could do with an enhanced, regular role against arguably the toughest team the Poets will face this year.
As strong as the Poets performed offensively, their ability to take sets off the Leopards with regularity came down to being the most consistent team on a point-to-point basis. This allowed the Purple & Gold to repeatedly string points together, even at a massive deficit. In the second set, La Verne led 23-19 and found themselves two points away from taking a commanding two set lead. However, the host Poets had other ideas, and on the serve of senior outside hitter
Sofia Zazueta (La Mirada, Calif. / Orange Lutheran), won the next six points to speed past the Leopards and completely flip the momentum of the match. Four of those six points were ended on the Poets' volition with D'Amato picking up two of the kills.
Consistent play from setters
Hailey Church (La Habra, Calif. / La Habra) and
Sophia Padilla (Fontana, Calif. / St. Lucy's), along with
Alyssa Gonzalez (Glendora, Calif. / St. Lucy's Priory) stepping up as the Poets' sole libero choice for the game, allowed the Poets to take a 24-21 lead in the third set that could have fundamentally altered the trajectory of the match. Instead, Whittier would rally in the fourth to force a decisive set, and while they competed in the same way they had all match, the superior depth and experience of the visiting Leopards ultimately proved too much in the first of two scheduled meetings between the SCIAC foes this year.
Head Coach Chris Duarte-McDermott and the Poets will turn around on Saturday, Sept. 27 to travel to the University of Redlands for a 4 p.m. game.
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