COSTA MESA – Friday night was an emotional night at the Freed Center as Vanguard women's volleyball sent off seven seniors with a high-octane, passion-fueled five-set win over Concordia in the final match of the 2025 season.

CUI took narrow shares of set one 25-23, and set three 28-26, while VU showcased more dominant set wins with 25-10 and 25-13 scores to force the match to five sets. Working through the final frame, VU trailed by 8-11, but drank in the energy of the home crowd to regain focus and flip the set on a 7-1 run to clinch a win on Senior Night.

The Blue and Gold close the season with the 5th highest winning percentage in program history (.692) and the third fewest losses, as they conclude the year 18-8 overall and 6-6 in the Pacific West Conference. CUI drops to .500 at 12-12, 5-6 in the league.

Senior captain Morgan Cole led the Lion ship with 17 kills, 22 digs, three blocks, and one ace, to cap off her 53rd and final career double-double. The outside hitter also hit an outrageous .556 (12-2-28), a career-best mark, in her final collegiate game. Cole finishes fourth all-time in program history in total kills (1275) and sixth in total digs (1315).

Adeline Galvanoni was her usual self with a blistering 16 kills on .343 (16-4-35) hitting percentage. She closes her career 11th all-time in kills at 852.

Viktoria Dickson earned a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs, to go along with four block assists. Delaney Hill and Kayla Robinson each piled nine kills, as Robinson hit .429 (9-3-14) and Hill added eight digs. Payton Darm tallied four kills and a season-high nine blocks in her final match as a Lion.

What Happened? VU honored seven seniors (Adeline Galvanoni, Payton Darm, Delaney Hill, Abby Lutterloh, Logan Daniels, Morgan Cole, Viktoria Dickson) prior to opening serve, then both teams went at it in a fast-paced opening frame, where they combined for 7 attack errors.

CUI drew first blood with an ace and never lost the lead; the Lions, however, forced eight ties throughout the frame. Cole had the first VU kill, and a CUI service error set the first tie at 2-2. Robinson got going through the middle to bring the Lions up to four points, but Concordia crept away on an 8-4 run to go up 14-8. The Golden Eagles speared two of their five service aces of the frame during that time, as VU struggled in serve receive.

Three CUI attacks and four VU kills snuck the Lions back in rhythm for a 6-1 run and 15-all scoreline. Cole connected for four of the final six VU kills of the set, but CUI's groove at the service split them away from VU for a 25-23 Golden Eagle win.

Set 2- VU made mincemeat of the Golden Eagles in the second frame, as Concordia hit their match low -.194 (6-12-31), while VU maintained a steady beat at .318 (10-3-22).

VU only required four kills to jump out to their first 11 points, as CUI coughed out seven attack errors to set the score at 11-7 Vanguard. The Golden Eagles found a nice pocket to build tempo with a sideout kill followed by their sixth ace of the night, but VU responded with a run to put the set to bed soon after.

Darm got to work on the gap set, Lutterloh snared an ace, and Dickson delivered two kills as the Lions roared to an 18-9 lead. CUI suffered five more attack errors to eventually hand the Lions the set.

Set 3- The third set was responsible for a match-high 19 ties and nine lead changes. It was also an absolute dogfight, as both teams ran fast balls through their middles and neither could truly stop the other.

VU hit .300 (18-6-40) and took an early lead thanks to Cole's cross-court kills. Darm also knuckled two kills in three rallies as VU led narrowly 9-8.

CUI hit .350 (17-3-40) and never gave the Lions an ounce of space to pull away. They pinned another ace on the board as both teams traded 3-0 runs four times between them. VU leapt into the red zone up 20-19 with another Cole kill.

Concordia quickly regained ground and soon after the lead as secured set point 24-23. They were shrugged off their position three times before they opened a 2-0 run with a big kill from their middle blocker to win the set 28-26.

Set 4- History repeated itself in the fourth set, as VU wasted no time in pushing for the fifth and final frame. They outhit CUI .400 (16-4-30) to .077 (5-3-26) as the Golden Eagles never could conjure a side out to stop the bleeding.

After trailing 4-1, VU erupted on a 12-2 run, highlighted by three kills from Galvanoni, three kills from Cole, a right pin slam down from Hill, and a VU service ace.

Dickson delivered a solo 3-0 run, and Macy Kavanaugh fired the next Lion ace as the Blue and Gold shot out an 8-0 run to mark set point at 24-9. They later claimed the set on a CUI service error.

Set 5- The final stanza was tension-filled and nervy, as the wave of emotions led the flow of the frame.
VU's 14-5 block advantage over the match was well displayed in the set (4-1 VU), as was Kate Fagundes and her much-needed digs to keep the Lions alive.

Kavanaugh scored with an ace to get things going, and Galvanoni followed up with a kill for the 2-0 Vanguard lead. The Lions' next two points were both from CUI errors, and kills from Galvanoni and Robinson put the hosts at a favorable 7-5 scoreline.

CUI struck a nerve with a 6-1 run to seize control, as VU gave up two attack errors and a couple of free points off defensive miscues to trail 8-11.

The Lions, however, could not be topped on their special night.

Dickson prompted the comeback with back-to-back kills. Then sparked a serving run which sent the Lions on a 6-1 run to force match point. Darm had the decisive touch to close the match, as a hulking solo block concluded a memorable senior night and 2025 season for the Blue and Gold.

What Was Said? "I couldn't be more proud of this team!" expressed Head Coach JP Dorn.  "What a battle to finish off with. We have had such an incredible season, and it's so fun to win a thrilling 5-set match to honor the season and the seniors with! Thank you to our seniors who have pushed through these years and have been pillars in this program. You will all be missed!"