NO WORRIES AT WESTMONT

Wednesday, September 2

Santa Barbara, CA

5 p.m.

California Baptist University

Westmont College (Calif.)

9/3/2009 3:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — It was just a matter of time before Ingrid Carmona would get rolling for California Baptist University. Through the first five matches of the year Carmona had just 12 kills. The redshirt freshman more than doubled her kill total with 15 in a 3-1 (29-31, 25-16, 25-13, 25-19) win over Westmont, Wednesday night.

“It was great to see Ingrid get things going,” said CBU head coach Ryan McGuyre. “I think she was anxious in our first five matches in Montana and just needed some time to work it out. I was just waiting for her to step up and really start making a difference.”

The third-ranked Lancers (6-0, 1-0 GSAC) may have trotted out of the gate a little slow in their Golden State Athletic Conference opener, but ran down Westmont in the final three sets. Carmona did have her breakout match, but she wasn't alone as Fei Shi recorded her third double-double of the year with 12 kills and 18 digs. Shi also had three blocks and three assists.

Colleen Sweeney had her best match of the year, ripping nine kills and had just one error in hitting .600 for the night. Bree Rauschenbach also chipped in with seven kills, four blocks and two aces. Kari Oliver posted a career-high 14 digs while Danielle Sargant dished out a match-high 33 assists.

“We struggled a bit tonight on the outside,” said McGuyre after his team hit just .216 (52-22-139) against Westmont. “We were able to find the middles and use them effectively though and that was the key to the match. Colleen was great and came through in tight spots.”

It took 11 lead changes and 20 ties to decide the first set as the host Warriors had to hold off CBU in the final points to take a 1-0 match lead. The Warriors led 28-27, but the Lancers scored the next two to tie it at 28. Beth Widicus then gave set point to Westmont with a kill, but Shi fired right back to tie it at 29. Widicus answered again with a kill to force another set point and the Warriors capitalized on a Shi error to take the opening set.

CBU quickly jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the second set, but Westmont cut it to 10-6. The Lancers then pushed it to 16-8 with a 6-2 run. The Warriors never got closer than six points and trailed 22-16 before Sweeney made it 23-16 with a kill and Carmona closed it out with back-to-back kills to tie the match at one set apiece.

The Lancers waltzed through the third set by closing with an 11-2 run. CBU led 14-11, but a handful of Westmont errors and a few kills by committee for the Lancers put CBU on top 2-1.

Westmont opened the fourth set scoring four straight, but then watched the Lancers go on a 10-3 run to take a 10-7 lead. CBU led 14-11 before Rauschenbach and Jessica Ewoldt ripped back-to-back kills and after a Westmont kill, Rauschenbach gave CBU a 17-12 lead with another kill. The Warriors ripped a kill and took advantage of two Lancer errors to get within two at 17-15, but that was as close as they came. CBU put the match away with an 8-4 run to capture the first GSAC contest of the year.

The Lancers will now play five matches at the Concordia Labor Day Tournament, Friday and Saturday. The first match is at 11 a.m.