SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Vanguard ran into a hot hitting Simon Fraser side, losing in straight sets by scores of 25-13, 25-18, 25-20 to conclude the San Diego Invitational on the campus of Point Loma.
The Red Leafs concluded the tournament 3-1, while the Lions head back to Costa Mesa 2-1.
Simon Fraser hit .389 for the match with 43 kills and just eight errors in 90 attempts. Vanguard countered at .151 (27-14-86).
Davida Hill led the Red Leafs with 16 kills on .500 hitting, followed by Brooke Dexter who slammed 13 kills and swung at a .400 clip. Simon Fraser had eight service aces, three by Eva Person and two apiece from Hill and Ava Khademi.
The Lions received a team-high 10 kills from Morgan Cole. Delaney Hill added five kills. Madeline DeLucia handed out 12 assists, led the team with seven digs and had two of VU's seven aces.
What Happened?: The Red Leafs hit .375 in set one with 15 kills and just three errors in 32 swings. VU managed just .000 hitting with three kills. Bailey Olbur and Cole accounted for all three kills, while Dexter tallied seven of her own.
Simon Fraser showcased its tough serving with four aces in the opening frame. Vanguard trailed early but closed to within 10-8, but the Red Leafs responded with a 6-1 run to take control. The run eventually reached 13-3 as the Canadian opponent opened up a 23-11 bulge before taking the 25-13 victory.
In Set 2, Cole showed off her All-American pedigree with six kills as the Lions showed improvement. However, the Red Leafs sped out to an 8-2 lead.
The Lions fought back and closed to within 11-8, but a 6-2 Simon Fraser response widened VU's deficit to 17-10. The Lions trimmed the deficit to 20-16, but that was as close as they would get.
Simon Fraser took a 2-0 sets lead after winning 25-18.
Davida Hill's power caused VU problems as her kill total rose to 13 through two sets. The Red Leafs added two more aces to the total.
Vanguard put up its best fight in set three. Payton Darm entered the lineup for the Lions and her kill gave VU an early 7-4 advantage. The Lions enjoyed their biggest lead of 11-7 following a Delaney Hill slam. The Lions still remained in front at 13-10 thanks to a Jenesis Rios ace.
But Simon Fraser went on a set-changing 6-1 run, leaning heavily on a solid block. The Red Leafs scored three straight points on blocks, two with Logan Remington at the net.
Remington and Davida Hill teamed up to reject the Lions again for an 18-15 lead.
DeLucia's ace brought VU to within 21-19, but the Red Leafs got back-to-back kills from Natalie Lemoine-Selis and Megan Hawkins, as well as an ace to get to match point.
Olbur held off Simon Fraser once with a kill, but Megan Hawkins tipped the ball over the net to clinch the 25-20 triumph.
What's Next?: The Lions open up the brand new Freed Center on Saturday, September 14 against Westcliff. First serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
