LA VERNE, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Volleyball team (4-8, 1-6 SCIAC) lost 3-0 at No. 19 University of La Verne Friday evening as the Bulldogs completed their first of four consecutive road games.
The first set got off to a great start for the Bulldogs as they went from down 4-1 to tied at six as
Kiki Stradford (Mission Viejo, CA) (two),
Avery Aminoff (Alexandria, VA),
Kaegen Wherry (Englewood, CO) all had kills while Aminoff and Stradford combined on a block to tie it at six.
Lyric Waterman (Aurora, CO),
Ella Goettsche (Eastvale, CA), and
Lali Makaiwi (Las Vegas, NV) all assisted on kills during the 5-2 run.
It was tied at seven after a Leopard service error, but for the Bulldogs they were on the wrong side of a 12-0 run as they trailed 19-7.
Lilia Donaldson (Boulder, CO) and
Paige Sugg (Federal Way, WA) combined on a block for their first point since the 7-7 tie. La Verne finished the first set with a 6-3 run to win the set 25-11.
Down by five, 7-2, in the second set,
Isabella Garey (Alexandria, VA) and
Esha Ball (Fresno, CA) combined on a block and then Wherry made it two in-a-row with a kill.
Down by double figures Waterman set Ball for her first kill in nearly a month. Makaiwi then found Wherry for a kill as it was a 16-6 deficit. La Verne ended the second with nine of the final 11 points to win the set 25-8.
Ball and Stradford had the first two kills for the Bulldogs to begin the third as it was two all early. Like the first two sets, though, the Leopards took control and led by as many as 12, 17-5 But Redlands continued to fight as they won seven of the next 10 points finding themselves down by eight, 20-12.
Despite the strong run, La Verne closed out the match with a 5-2 run as they won the Bulldogs' strongest set, 25-14.
Stradford had a team-high five kills with Wherry adding four and Aminoff and Ball each with three. Goettsche had a good game with nine assists and six digs.
The Bulldogs stay on the road following a bye this Saturday as they travel to play at Whittier College on Tuesday, October 10 at 7:00 p.m.
