Fatigue set in for the University of Redlands volleyball team
(9-8, 4-2 SCIAC) as it lost its first match since losing to No. 3
University of La Verne last week, dropping a 3-0 decision (18-25,
17-25, 26-28) to rival Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges on Oct.
4.
Over the past seven days, the team has competed in five matches,
and it traveled for three matches this week leading up to the
conference showdown with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
The Athenas won by a decisive margin in the first two sets, but the
Bulldogs took Claremont-Mudd-Scripps to task in the third set,
pushing their rivals past 25 points. A few rallies that ended in
the Athenas' favor, however, lifted Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
over Redlands in that third set.
Taking advantage of her height on the front line, freshman middle
blocker Emily Capozzoli (Poway, CA) proved unstoppable for the
Athenas, notching a match-high 12 kills for a remarkable .556 kill
percentage. Capozzoli also contributed to two block assist points,
joining sophomore middle blocker Megan Phillips (Vista, CA),
freshman right side hitter Kelsey Kolar (Rancho Mirage, CA), junior
setter Kelina Smith (Kurtistown, HI), junior libero/defensive
specialist Lauren Harding (Altadena, CA) and junior outside hitter
Katy Douglass (Roseville, CA) with Bulldogs who scored points off
of at least one block assist.
Smith took control of the setting duties, recording 30 assists.
Splitting the defensive workload, Smith and Douglass each tallied
11 digs.
For Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Jamie Matusiak and Angela
Estrella-Lemus led the way with nine kills apiece. Greer Donley
kept the Athena rallies alive with 17 digs while Alex Harrison took
sole possession of the setting duties, accumulating 34 assists.
Redlands drops to fourth overall in the Southern California
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) standings with the
loss, and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps took hold of the third-place spot
in the conference. No. 3 University of La Verne remains undefeated
(12-0, 5-0 SCIAC) and sits alone atop the SCIAC standings.
Taking to the road on Tuesday, Oct. 7, the Bulldogs square off
against No. 19 Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks at 7:30
p.m. The Regals rank second in the conference standings.
