LA VERNE, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Volleyball team (1-3) dropped a four set battle to Pacific University (Oregon) to begin the Leopard Invitational hosted at the University of La Verne on Friday afternoon.
Makaila Brooks (Las Vegas, NV) and Makenna Van Hofwegen (Buckeye, AZ) had the Bulldogs up 2-1 early on in the first set, but the Boxers would then win seven-straight taking an 8-2 lead.
An 8-6 stretch saw Redlands get within four, 14-10, as Kaegan Wherry (Englewood, CO) had a service ace and kill followed by Paige Sugg (Federal Way, WA), Emma Murphy (South Jordan, UT), and Brooks posting finishes as well off Maddy Schonauer (Bakersfield, CA) and Van Hofwegen sets.
In the final moments of the first the Bulldogs found themselves down five, 21-16, before a Sugg kill started a 4-1 run pulling the U of R within three. Trailing by only two, 23-21, the Bulldogs saw the Boxers win the final two points to take the first set.
In the second set Redlands held leads at 8-3, 9-5, 10-6, and 11-8 before Pacific was able to come back to go in front 13-11.
The Bulldogs, though, did not go away as Kate Putzier (Overland Park, KS) added a kill combined with a service ace from Brooks, which tied the game at 13-13.
After that the frame went back and forth seven times before the Boxers would take control late, winning six of the final eight points to take a 2-0 lead.
With Pacific again holding an advantage early, 11-8, Redlands would end the set on a 17-8 run forcing a fourth set. During the run Murphy had five kills, Wherry with three, and Putzier another two.
The fourth set was back-and-forth through the first 30 points as the two sides were tied at eight different times. The Boxers, however, finished the match off taking 10 of the last 12 points.
Lali Makaiwi (Las Vegas, NV) and Wherry each had 21 digs and Lyric Waterman (Aurora, CO) and Van Hofwegen were in double figures with 12 and 18 assists, respectively.
The Bulldogs begin their two-match day Saturday, September 7 at 10:00 a.m. when they take on Saint Vincent College before finishing with Edgewood College at 12:30 p.m. Both matches will take place at the University of La Verne.
