California Baptist University
Westminster College (Utah)
BONILLA, FEI RIP 12 IN MATINEE SWEEP
8/30/2006 7:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Box Score
RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- It looked like the 2-time NAIA defending champion and No. 1-ranked California Baptist had itself a cake walk after a blistering 30-15 game-one win in its home opener against No. 25 Westminster (UT) Wednesday afternoon.
But what's a matinee without a little drama?
The Lancers (4-1) rode the rugged edge particularly in game 2, where they were just a point away from dropping the set before a block by Verania and Angela Willis tied the score at 29-29 and started California Baptist on a 3-point spree ending in a, 31-29, win in the second game.
The Griffins (2-3) were also just one score away from beating a game point in the finale, but the Lancers held on to win the set and the match by scores of 30-15, 31-29, 30-28.
After a see-saw beginning to game one, the Lancers got a charge off 3 consecutive aces from Yudelka Bonilla that stretched the lead to 18-10. Verania Willis posted 3 of her 11 kills, while Shi Fei, who ended with a team-high 12 kills, notched a pair of kills in the Lancers' 16-5 run to wrap up the game-one win. As a team, the Lancers posted 15 kills against just 5 errors for a .385 hitting percentage in the opening set, while Westminster was held to just 7 kills and a .067 clip.
California Baptist was looking for a lift once more, down 11-12 in game 2, but Bonilla's kill tied the score at 12 apiece and was the first of 5 unanswered points that turned the game in the home team's favor, 16-12. When back-to-back kills by Bonilla and Fei put an exclamation point on a 10-4 run to make the score 21-16, it looked like the Lancers had the game well in hand. However, the Griffins tied the score 4 times throughout the remainder of the game before an Ashley Anders service ace was followed up by a Fei kill to end the game at 31-29.
Four kills each by Bonilla and Fei helped the team to a 27-20 advantage in the final game, but the Lancers seemed to be stuck in a gear as they watched Westminster rattle off 6-straight points, thanks in part to a pair of kills from Angie Johnson, who had a match-high 13 overall, to make the score 27-26. Rachel Gowen nailed down one of her 4 kills to make the score 29-27, and the team held on for the slim, 30-28, victory.
Bonilla posted 12 kills and chipped in a team-high 17 digs, as Caitlin Parker distributed 44 assists to 8 different hitters in her home Lancer debut. Angela Willis ripped 6 kills against just one error and posted a game-high 5 blocks.
