REDLANDS, Calif. - Tonight, under the lights of the SCIAC Tournament semifinal, the No. 1 seed Leopards host the No. 5 seeded Bulldogs in what promises to be a thrilling showdown. La Verne arrives with an outstanding regular-season record and national recognition, while Redlands enters as the underdog looking to build on their recent momentum and make a surprise run. With everything on the line and one win away from the SCIAC Tournament Championship game, both teams will bring intensity, strategy and heart in pursuit of the title.
Matchup Details
- Date & Time: Thursday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m.
- Location: The Sports Science & Athletic Pavilion ("The Tents") in La Verne, CA — home court for La Verne as the higher seed.
- Tournament Context: This is the semifinal of the SCIAC Women's Volleyball Tournament (Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference). La Verne enters as the No. 1 seed and Redlands as the No. 5 seed following a road five-set upset over No. 4 California Lutheran University in the First Round.
Teams at a Glance
La Verne (No. 1 seed)
- Their regular-season résumé is impressive: the Leopards finished 24-1 overall and 15-1 in conference play, clinching the regular-season title for the first time since 2008.
- Key players to watch:
- Mya Ray — three-time All-American, broke the program record for kills this season, and has been named SCIAC Athlete of the Week multiple times.
- Zacky Coaston — middle blocker on pace to break the school's all-time blocks record.
- Strengths: dominant offense, strong team depth, the comfort of hosting at home.
- Potential areas of concern: having only one loss gives them a target on their back; handling pressure as favorites is always a challenge.
Redlands (No. 5 seed)
- The Bulldogs advanced to the semifinals after a hard-fought 3-2 victory over No. 4 seed Cal Lutheran in the First Round.
- Importantly, Redlands was the only team to hand La Verne a loss this season, defeating them 3-2 this past inside Currier Gym and they are looking to make it two in a row.
- Strengths: fearless underdog mentality, ability to battle from behind (as evidenced earlier this season), experience of pulling off upsets.
Key Storylines to Watch
- Rematch Flavor: Since Redlands beat La Verne this season, La Verne will certainly be motivated for revenge. Expect adjustments from La Verne's coaching staff in how they counter Redlands' attack patterns.
- Momentum & Timing: Redlands comes in having already pushed through a tough quarterfinal. Can that momentum carry them or will fatigue/burnout be a factor? Conversely, La Verne's dominant season might mean they're sharper or possibly a little more relaxed.
- Serving & Passing Battle: In tournament volleyball, serving pressure and serve-receive stability often tilt the match. If Redlands can disrupt La Verne's rhythm with tough serves and limit their errors, they could flip expectations.
- Big Players, Big Moments: Will Mya Ray and Zacky Coaston deliver when it matters most for La Verne? Can Redlands' attackers and defenders step up and force La Verne out of their comfort zone?
Prediction & What to Expect
- On paper, La Verne is the clear favorite. Their regular season has been near-flawless, they have top players, and they're at home where they have been untouchable.
- But Redlands is dangerous — they've already shown they can beat La Verne and they don't have the burden of expectation; they get to play free.
- What to expect: a hard-fought match, likely going four or five sets. If La Verne controls their serve-receive and limits errors, they can pull off a win. If Redlands jumps on a hot serving run and use their strong blocking front forcing La Verne into scrambling, this could be a five-set upset.
Stat Leaders – 2025 Season
La Verne Leopards
From their cumulative stats:
University of La Verne
- Kills: Mya Ray – 296. Lauren Gott – 185, Zacky Coaston – 91.
- Assists: Vanessa Marquez – 281; Malia Capistrano – 227.
- Service Aces: Mya Ray – 26; Keilani Mumolo – 20.
- Digs: Keilani Mumolo – 214; Mya Ray – 166.
- Blocks: Zacky Coaston – 90.0; Mariah Ray – 45.0.
Redlands Bulldogs
From their cumulative stats:
University of Redlands
What This Means & Key Angles
- La Verne's Mya Ray remains the central offensive force (kills + aces) and shows up in multiple statistical categories.
- Redlands' Lily Kautai, Esha Ball and Lily Houston provide strong two-way contributions (attack + defense) and show the Bulldogs have play-makers.
- The upset by Redlands earlier this season shows they can beat La Verne. It means La Verne cannot be complacent. The head-to-head gap is narrowing in potential.
- Key matchup to watch: Redlands' ability to disrupt La Verne's setters (Marquez/Capistrano) and intercept their kill-leaders. Conversely, La Verne will try to limit Redlands' service-ace runs (Kautai, Makenna Vanhofwegen) and apply consistent pressure with their block/defense (Coaston, Mumolo).
- In the prior match (Nov 5) despite La Verne having more kills and attacking attempts, Redlands edged higher hitting efficiency (.156 vs .145) and won the pivotal fifth set. That suggests efficiency and timely execution may matter more than volume.
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Final Thought
This semifinal is the kind of matchup that brings tournament drama: the dominant top seed vs. the hungry underdog who has nothing to lose. For La Verne, it's about reaffirming their status. For Redlands, it's about capturing momentum for a deep run and proving last week wasn't a fluke.
If you're tuning in (or heading to the match), look for the swing points: Redlands' serving runs, La Verne's response in key third and fourth sets, how both teams handle the pressure of semifinal stakes.
