Costa Mesa -- Westcliff surprised the Vanguard women's volleyball team in the first set Tuesday night, as the Lions and the Warriors squared off in non-conference action. Despite losing the first frame 21-25, VU flipped the script in the second and prevailed in the match over the next three sets 25-21, 25-14, and 25-9. The Lions improve to 8-1 overall with the victory before the team returns to conference action this weekend.
What Happened? The Lions seemed poised to stroll their way to victory in the opening frame, as Cambria Fernandez (SR/Northridge, CA) netted the first kill of the game. She then recorded one ace over the next seven serves, as VU opened the game on a 7-0 run. Westcliff called a timeout and the visitors found their stride after the break, quickly coming back to tie the game at 8-8. The Warriors then took their first lead of the night and stayed ahead throughout the middle parts of the set, maintaining a three-point edge as the set came towards a conclusion. VU cut the lead to 19-18 but that is as close as the squad would get, as WC claimed the opening period 25-21. The Lions hit .023 in the first set.
Set Two
The Warriors emerged out of the gate with a 3-1 advantage but kills from Callie Bickmore (SO/Auburn, CA) and Bailey Olbur (SO/Las Vegas, NV) knotted the score at 3-3. Things seemed to tilt in favor of the Blue and Gold after a service error by Westcliff, with VU going up 9-6. Maggie Gunther (JR/Huntington Beach, CA) and Samantha Arellano (SR/Tulare, CA) soon potted kills to push the margin to 13-7. Momentum seemed to favor VU, as Bickmore and Olbur would again put down kill shots and Jessica Yamamoto (FR/Aiea, HI) dropped in an ace to put Vanguard up 19-12. But the Warriors battled back, coming within one at 20-19 on the back of a 7-1 run. VU called a timeout and the decision paid immediate dividends, as the Lions closed out set two with a 5-2 run, with Fernandez capping the game with a big kill. The Blue and Gold hit .244 in the frame with 16 kills and five errors.
Set Three
Vanguard did not hit particularly well, collecting a .061 percentage in the frame, but the defense and the block were too strong for Westcliff to handle. The Warriors made 13 errors and netted only five kills on 46 attempts in the third, which got them a -.174 hitting percentage. With the score tied at 5-all, the Lions went to work, gaining the lead and pushing the gap to 10-6. Gunther then had a great run behind the service line, collecting one ace as the Lions took the lead from 13-8 to 19-9. VU cruised to a 25-14 win on an attack error by the Warriors.
Set Four
What would be the final set was a statement frame by the Blue and Gold. The squad produced 14 kills and did not make an error, as the team hit .519 to cap the game in a quick fashion. The home side led 6-3 early and jumped from there to a 10-5 advantage. A 10-3 run ensued, with Fernandez and Yamamoto each collecting aces, while the defense played strong in a number of long rallies. Fernandez and Olbur helped to close out the match with kills, as VU ended the set on a 5-1 streak to win 25-9.
The Lions hit .188 for the night, with 47 kills and 19 errors. Olbur leaped to the top of the team with 15 kills, while Fernandez and Bickmore each had 11. Madeline DeLucia (SO/Happy Valley, OR) played every rally and collected 39 assists. Rainena Schenbeck Chang (SR/Aiea, HI) worked as the libero on the night and led the team with 23 digs. Fernandez again recorded a double-double, as she posted 18 digs, while DeLucia had 11. As a team, VU had six solo blocks and 14 block assists to complement eight aces.
Why it's important? The Blue and Gold are now 2-0 against Westcliff with the victory. The team now leads the NAIA in blocks a set, as the lineup averages 2.75 a frame.
What was said? "It was a slow start but I am happy to see our girls settle in and keep the pressure on," said Head Coach Jennifer Dorn. "We are continuing to fight and adapt to each match, with a lot of lineup changes, and I am proud of how we are persevering."
What's next: The Lions will get back into Golden State Athletic Conference action on Friday on the road against Hope International. The September 24th match will start at 7:00 p.m.
