WHITTIER, Calif. – History was made at Graham Athletic Center on Tuesday night as the 19-6 Whittier Poets defeated the 22-3 Azusa Pacific Cougars 3-1 in a noncountable match to secure their 20th victory of the season, the most in program history. After dropping the opening set, Whittier bounced back to win three straight, improving to 20-6 overall and 9-3 in SCIAC play. The set scores were 15-25, 25-17, 25-21 and 25-23.
Whittier started strong in the first set, scoring the opening three points behind a service ace from
Isabel Wold. Kills from
Charlotte McCully,
Jeslyn Crockett and
Chianti Raddavero kept the Poets in front 8-7.
A block from Raddavero and
Nicole McManus, followed by a kill from McManus, stretched the lead to 10-7. However, Azusa Pacific answered with eight unanswered points to take a 15-10 advantage.
The Cougars carried that momentum forward, extending their lead to 19-13 despite kills from Raddavero and Crockett.
Lola Padilla added two late kills, but Azusa Pacific claimed the opening set 25-15.
The Poets wasted little time bouncing back in the second set, jumping ahead 5-1 behind three early kills from Padilla, a kill from
Madison McPherson and a service ace from
Kayla Scott.
Another kill from McPherson and an ace from Padilla increased the margin to 8-2. Whittier's defense also made its presence felt at the net, with blocks involving McPherson, McManus and
Mia D'Amato pushing the score to 13-5.
Azusa Pacific mounted a comeback, cutting the deficit to 15-13. Padilla delivered two timely kills, while Scott followed with consecutive service aces to restore an 18-13 cushion.
With Whittier ahead 19-14, Crockett added another kill as the Poets controlled the closing stretch, evening the match at one set apiece with a 25-17 victory.
The third set opened with both teams exchanging points before Whittier pulled away. Kills from Padilla and Crockett, along with a combined block by
Morgan Kinser and Crockett, gave the Poets a 9-4 lead.
Azusa Pacific narrowed the gap to 10-8, but contributions from
Mia Rogers and Kinser kept Whittier in front. The Cougars battled back, eventually tying the score at 17-17.
Consecutive kills from Crockett and D'Amato put the Poets back ahead 19-17. After Azusa Pacific trimmed the margin to 21-20, Rogers delivered a crucial kill. A block from Kinser and McPherson, followed by a service ace from Padilla, brought Whittier to set point.
Crockett closed out the third set with a kill, securing a 25-21 victory and giving the Poets a 2-1 lead in the match.
Whittier opened the fourth set with a kill from Rogers and a combined block from Kinser and Rogers to take an early 2-0 lead. The Cougars quickly answered, moving ahead 8-6.
The Poets fired back with five consecutive points, highlighted by kills from Crockett, D'Amato and Padilla, along with a service ace from Crockett, to regain an 11-8 edge.
D'Amato and Kinser kept the offense rolling as Whittier built a 14-10 lead. Azusa Pacific refused to back down, rallying to tie the score at 17-17.
After the teams traded points, a kill and service ace from Crockett put the Poets ahead 21-18. The Cougars made another late push, leveling the score at 22-22.
A solo block from Kinser and a kill from Padilla brought Whittier to match point. Azusa Pacific saved one point, but Kinser delivered the final kill to secure the fourth set 25-23 and seal the Poets' historic 20th victory.
Padilla led Whittier with 13 kills, two service aces and six digs. Crockett recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 13 digs, while D'Amato finished with seven kills on 13 attempts without an error for a .538 hitting percentage. She also contributed four block assists.
McPherson tallied 19 assists, five kills and four block assists, while Scott chipped in 14 assists, three aces and eight digs. Kinser rounded out the standout performances with five kills and four total blocks.
As a team, Whittier recorded 48 kills, 45 assists, 55 digs and 10 service aces. The Poets also totaled 12 team blocks in the record-setting victory.
With Cal Lutheran defeating Redlands, Whittier remains one game behind the Regals in the SCIAC standings.
The Poets will travel to Pasadena on Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31, to face the Caltech Beavers. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m. Catch all the action on
FloCollege.
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