EASY DOES IT, LANCERS ACE COUGARS
Box Score
RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- For the second time in the space of a week, the Lancers have squared off against an opponent ranked in the NAIA's top 10.
And for the second time in a week, the NAIA's No. 3-ranked and 2-time defending champion California Baptist posted a convincing sweep, this time victimizing No. 8-ranked Azusa Pacific, 30-22, 30-23, 30-20.
"Our team played particularly well on defense tonight, shutting down Azusa Pacific's heavy hitters," said California Baptist head coach Ryan McGuyre. "Our offense seemed to have a hard time getting started in each set, but we locked in as the game went along."
"The girls' serving made a huge difference tonight," he said. "We had some big aces that turned the tide in each of the games."
The win was the Lancers fifth straight, a streak that includes 3 wins over top-10 teams, as CBU improves to 19-2, including 9-1 in GSAC play. The Cougars hit -.048 in the opening set and watched the Lancers pull away with commanding leads in each set.
Shi Fei ripped 6 kills in the finale and 12 altogether to lead the Lancers, who hit an impressive .410 in the third set. Angela Willis finished with 6 kills and 4 aces while she shared 3 block assists with her sister, Verania Willis, who hit .346 (11-2-26) in the win.
Tied at 10-10 in the opening set, the Lancers took the lead for good on an ace by Yudelka Bonilla that also kicked off a 7-0 rally, putting the home team in the drivers' seat. Bonilla nailed another service ace to get the set to game-point, and Fei slapped one of her 6 game-one kills to end it at 30-22.
In a virtual carbon-copy of game one, the Lancers took the lead for good once again, at 11-10, this time on an Azusa Pacific service error. Bonilla then served the sideout, as the Cougars committed 4 consecutive unforced hitting errors to make the score 15-10.
The Lancers continued to capitolize on 5 game-2 service errors from Azusa Pacific, and finished out the second set, 30-23, on a pair of Cougar unforced hitting errors.
Similarly, game 3 was knotted up at 9-9 before the Lancers embarked on a 10-4 run featuring an ace apiece from Angela Willis and Caitlin Parker, who ended with a pair of service putaways the night.
Verania and Angela Willis teamed up for another block to bring the CBU lead up to 11, at 26-15, and Verania Willis' 11th kill of the night wrapped up the finale, and the match, at 30-20.
