REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Volleyball team (3-3, 0-1 SCIAC) dropped their Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) opener against California Lutheran University (CLU) on Tuesday evening inside Currier Gym. The Bulldogs held a late 23-20 lead in the first set but ended up falling 25-23 and would then go on top drop the next two 25-18, 25-15.    

After allowing the opening two points the Bulldogs won three-straight thanks to kills from Makaila Brooks (Las Vegas, NV), Avery Aminoff (Alexandria, VA), and Kaegen Wherry (Englewood, CO). Those three points started a 10-2 run that saw Redlands take a six-point lead, 10-4, as Lilia Donaldson (Boulder, CO) added two kills and Lyric Waterman (Aurora, CO) with two assists and a service ace.

The lead was maintained until the Regals tied the set at 13. From that point on the set would remain competitive and back-and-forth with ties coming on seven different occassions.  

The Bulldogs did get within two points of winning the set, leading 23-21, but CLU would end the set by winning four-straight as they took the opening frame 25-23.  The second set started slowly for the U of R, but a kill from Wherry and three consecutive Regal errors put the Bulldogs ahead by two, 7-5.  The two sides traded points after that and following a tie at 10-10, the Regals won 11 of the next 14 points and looked to have the set in hand leading 21-13, but three-straight Regal errors and then a kill from Paige Sugg (Federal Way, WA) made it a four-point game, 21-17. CLU, though, responded with a 4-1 run to win the set 25-18.

In the third the gap was only two early through 14 points, 8-6, but the Regals slowly extended their lead as it would increase to as many as seven, 15-8.  UR continued to battle staying focused and winning three unanswered as they drew within four, 15-11, but it would not be enough.

Ending the third with two of the final three Bulldog points was Kiki Stradford (Mission Viejo, CA) who had a pair of kills off Waterman and Ella Goettsche (Eastvale, CA) assists as CLU finished off the match with a 25-15 victory.  

Sugg had a team-high seven kills, while Goettsche and Waterman had 11 and 10 assists apiece. Waterman also added 11 digs while Lali Makaiwi (Las Vegas, NV) had a game-high 19 digs.

The Bulldogs remain at home this Friday, September 22 when they host the California Institute of Technology beginning at 7:00 p.m.