Twenty-eight days after upsetting Biola in Murchison Gymnasium, Westmont has proven it can play with the best volleyball teams in the country by doing it again – this time on the 14th-ranked Eagles’ home court. Westmont won in five sets 25-21, 11-25, 28-26, 10-25, 18-16.
“The game was a series of ups and down,” said Westmont head coach Patti Cook, “but we played well when we needed to. When it started to get tight, we executed the game plan efficiently.”
The match saw dramatic shifts in momentum. Westmont went up 14-6 in the first set, but Biola responded and tied the game at 17-all. Still tied at 20-all, Westmont reeled off three-straight points on kills by Ciara Turner and Madison Serrano and a service ace by Stacey Braceros. That gave the Warriors the cushion they need to take the first set 25-21.
The momentum was all Biola’s in the second set as the Eagles quickly tallied a 25-11 win to tie the match at one-all. The swing of the pendulum looked like it might have been permanent when Biola mounted a 10-2 run to go up 17-8. But odd numbered sets belong to the Warriors on Saturday afternoon in La Mirada. The Warriors produced their own 13-4 run to tie the game at 21 before finally winning 28-26.
Again, Biola came out blazing in the fourth set, punishing the Warriors with a 25-10 score which evened the match at two-sets each.
That set up a decisive fifth set. The two teams kept it close through the first half of set number five. With the score tied at 11-all, Biola scored three-straight to make it a 14-11 game and set up three match-point serves. A kill from Turner made it 14-12 and another by Martin advanced the score to 14-13. Turner and Martin then combined to block Nicolette Mather’s attack and end the immediate Biola threat with a 14-14 score.
Biola earned its fourth match point on a kill by Sarah McAtee, however, the Warriors tied it again with another kill by Martine. Biola’s fifth match point was the result of a block by McAtee and Amy Weststeyn on a Serrano attack, making it 16-15 in favor of the Eagles.
The Warriors answered with another block, this one by Turner and Nichole Miller on an attack by Christine Douglas. Tied at 16, Westmont finally earned its first match point when Alexandria Wilson delivered a solo block against Weststeyn. It would prove to be the only match point the Warriors would need. Douglas sent a ball long to give the Warriors the win.
“Candice (Adema) did a great job of distributing the offense and was setting very smartly,” reported Cook of her junior setter. “Alex did a good job of being a dominate force at the net and being where she needed to be on the blocks. Chelsea Dornseif and Stephanie Newland did a great job with their serves, getting Biola in trouble and getting us aces. The steady presence of our outsides, Tessa Martin and Madison Serrano, against a formidable block contributed to the team. It was a good team win and a good team effort.”
With the win, Westmont improves to 9-13 on the year and, more importantly, 7-7 in the powerful GSAC Conference. The Warriors are now tied with Biola for a share of fifth place in the standings.
Next up for the Warriors is a home match against #8 Fresno Pacific (14-8, 10-4) on Tuesday night at seven o’clock in Murchison Gymnasium.
