RIVERSIDE – Westmont’s women’s volleyball team went head-to-head with the La Sierra Golden Eagles in a showdown that was just about as close as any volleyball match can get. This was the Warriors’ third five-game match in a row, a 25-27, 25-19, 25-23, 32-34, 15-10 victory.
Each set of the match was literally played point-for-point. The Warriors came out looking steady and confident in the first set, but with not as much energy as they normally bring to the court. The team hit a .211 percentage but was not able to close out the game, losing by a mere two points.
Set number two was a completely different story. Westmont came out with a fire in their bellies that sparked the enthusiasm they needed to gain the lead and never let go. This is a team that is highly influenced by their emotions and thankfully the passion that was lacking in set one was evident in the second as they put ball after ball away. With Senior Madison Serrano on the bench with a wrist injury, Jessica McCann took the court and dominated the entire match with a season high of 19 kills. “Jess came through in a big way for us tonight. She played steady and aggressive the entire time,” commented head coach Cook.
Game three was another nail biter as the Warriors were able to keep their momentum and close out the set by just two points at the end. But game four takes the cake on being the most stressful set of the evening. The teams went back and forth with match points ten times before a La Sierra outside hitter put the ball on the ground and was able to keep their hope alive with a 34-32 win to send them into a fifth and final set of the night.
Game five has haunted this Westmont team in the last couple matches they have played. Physical and mental fatigue has played a large role in their inability to push through and win the final game of their competitions. The fifth game is mind over matter. You need to forget how you feel and simply do what needs to be done—put the ball on the ground time and time again. Tonight Westmont did just that, tallying 11 kills to win the final set of the match.
“It wasn’t the prettiest win that we have had this year as the girls look like they are starting to have some mental fatigue with classes and everything else that happens in the middle of the semester,” Cook said, “So for us to push through and finally win a fifth game was huge for us tonight”
Alongside McCann were Sydney Striff who tallied 13 kills and Taylor Beckman who notched 11. Libero Kami Troesh was a powerhouse on defense with 30 digs on the night. “Kami played some great defense and came up with some big digs against La Sierra’s heavy hitters” commented Cook.
With this win, the Warriors progress to 12-11 overall while remaining 4-5 in GSAC play. They are matched up against Embry-Riddle (Fla.) this Friday in Santa Clarita, Calif. at 4PM.
