Senior outside hitter Alison Sharp connected for 14 kills and freshman middle blocker Ciara Turner added 12 more as Westmont defeated Hope International in straight sets (25-19, 25-21, 26-24) in a GSAC women’s volleyball match Saturday night at Murchison Gymnasium.
Turner also posted six block assists while Sharp added 16 service receptions and 9 digs.
The Warriors took control of the first set early, largely on the strength of Kristen Schroeder’s serving. The sophomore libero recorded two aces in serving the Warriors from a 5-3 advantage to a 9-3 lead.
“We fought hard the whole night tonight,” Schroeder said. “(Before the game) we talked about playing with intensity every single point of the match and not letting up if we started getting down.”
Schroeder led the team in both serve receptions (19) and digs (19).
“I focused on not letting anything drop and being loud and aggressive throughout the game,” said Schroeder. “We did a good job playing scrappy.”
The Warriors did not relinquish the lead in the first set, but the second set was a different story. After falling behind 8-12, the Warriors battled back with kills by Kayta Goyich (7 kills, 12 serve receptions, 9 digs), Turner and Tessa Martin (6 kills, 11 serve receptions, 8 digs) to make the score 11-12.
Turner and setter Candace Adema (41 assists, 4 blocks) then combined for block on an attack by the Hawks’ Naomi Iosia (12 kills, 10 digs, 9 service receptions) to tie the score at 12. The Hawks scored the next two points, but the Warriors responded with an 8-1 run to take a 20-15 lead that they did not relinquish.
In the third set, Westmont seemed to be back in control of the game, scoring the first three points and mounting a 9-5 advantage. But the Hawks’ Sabrina La Rusch served for six points, giving Hope a 12-9 lead.
The Warriors tied the game again at 14 and a close battle ensued in which the score was tied at every point from there until 24-24.
Goyich put the ball on the ground to give Westmont match point and Sharp nailed down the victory for the Warriors with one last kill of the night.
