With a solid sweep of the visiting Beavers of Caltech (25-8,
25-6, 25-9), the University of Redlands volleyball team clinches a
share of the program's first-ever Southern California
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) championship.
The Bulldogs have two matches remaining and need to win just one to
capture the title outright.
Redlands is the first team other than the University of La Verne or
Cal Lutheran University to win at least a share of the conference
championship since 1993.
Prior to tonight's match, the Maroon and Gray took a few
minutes to honor seniors Ali Massei (San Carlos, CA), Katy Douglass
(Roseville, CA), Kelina Smith (Kurtistown, HI) and Lauren Harding
(Altadena, CA).
Against the Beavers, Redlands controlled the match from the opening
serve, relinquishing the lead only once in three sets. The Bulldogs
played 17 players and posted a .351 hitting percentage. Massei and
freshman outside hitter Miranda Sanderson (Napa, CA) led the match
with five kills apiece, while junior middle blocker Kirby McCord
(Huntington Beach, CA) knocked down four. Harding posted 11 digs
and Smith dished out 21 assists.
Redlands (19-4, 11-1 SCIAC) heads to Whittier College on Friday at
7:30 p.m.
