REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Volleyball team (8-4, 2-2 SCIAC) upset No. 17 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) 3-2 Friday evening inside Currier Gym for their first win over the Athenas since 2010.
Redlands built a 10-7 lead in the first set thanks to a pair of kills for Emily Kitchin (Portland, OR) and another four from Cecily Wagstaff (Portland, OR), Emma Murphy (South Jordan, UT), Lily Houston (Reno, NV), and Makenna Vanhofwegen (Buckeye, AZ).
Following a serving stretch for the Athenas that gave them a four-point lead, 14-10, the Bulldogs were tasked with a comeback.
Trailing by five later in the set, a string of three CMS errors brought U of R to within two, 16-14.
The key run, though, came with the deficit at four, 21-17. The Bulldogs won eight of the final nine points, all of which came off Athena errors, as they took the first set, 25-22.
In the second set the Bulldogs jumped out to a 5-1 lead with Houston and Lily Kautai (San Mateo, CA) recording kills. The lead was then five, 8-3, with Hannah Hajnal (El Cerrito, CA) adding an ace.
Despite the strong start to the set, leading by as many as seven, 13-6, the Athenas would take a competitive frame by winning 20 of the final 31 points.
The first point and two of the first three points in the third went to CMS, but Redlands would take a 3-2 lead when an overpass was piut away by Kautai as the Bulldogs never trailed the remainder of the set winning 25-14.
After four ties in the opening 10 points of the fourth, CMS took control of the set, winning 19 of the next 28 points leading by double digits, 24-14. The Bulldogs did get kills from Murphy, Kitchin, and Houston and a service ace by Vanhofwegen during a 4-0 run. But the late push was not enough as the U of R fell, 25-18.
In the first to 15 fifth set the Athenas looked to be in control up three, 11-8, which forced a Bulldog timeout. The stoppage proved crucial because the Bulldogs would go on to win five straight.
CMS took their second timeout of the set with the Bulldogs holding a match point, 14-12. The timeout was successful as they scored out of it, but on the second match point Vanhofwegen set Kautai who found the floor ending the set, 15-13, and the match, 3-2.
This is the first win in the series against CMS after 26-straight losses. Following the win head coach Savannah Cox said this about her team's performance:
"I'm incredibly proud of the grit and composure our team showed tonight. Beating a nationally ranked program like CMS in five sets took every ounce of belief, preparation, and trust in each other. This is a statement win for our program, and it shows that Redlands volleyball is ready to compete with the best."
Kautai, Houston, and Kitchin (all first-years) had double-digit kills with 20, 11, and 10, respectively. Sophomore Vanhofwegen had 31 assists, while first-year Hajnal added 19. Esha Ball (Fresno, CA) and Murphy combined for four blocks and 'Ale'amaikalani Paiva (Honolulu, HI) was active in that backrow totaling 23 digs leading five Bulldogs in double figures in that spot.
The Bulldogs will have to be ready to move on as they make the trip to Thousand Oaks for a 6:00 p.m. match at California Lutheran University Saturday night.
