California Baptist University
University of the Pacific
Eye of the Tigers
4/6/2014 4:52:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
STOCKTON, Calif. --- With emotions at an all-time high for University of Pacific—competing in its last-ever home men's volleyball match—California Baptist University was already at a disadvantage going into Saturday's match.
The Lancers couldn't hold off the Tigers, dropping three sets (25-14, 25-18, 25-22), slipping to 4-22 overall and 2-20 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. Pacific improves to a similar 3-22 on the season, 2-20 in conference action.
From the start, it was evident CBU would have its work cut out for itself as the Tigers jumped out in front 7-0 to open the first set. Pacific held the Lancers to their lowest attack percentage (-.120) on the night while managing a .429 clip to take the set 25-14.
CBU kept the second set closer, exchanging points with the host squad to start the frame. The Tigers built up a six-point lead at 17-11, but a service error and a kill from Johannes Brink kept the Lancers in the game at 17-13.
The Tigers kept pushing, however, going back in front by six before another Pacific service error and an attack error put CBU back within four at 22-18. It was the closest the Lancers would get, though, as Pacific powered through to take the set 25-18.
In what would be the final set, the Lancers gave their best performance, dropping the set by just three points. CBU opened the frame trailing 5-1, but evened the score at 7-7 off a kill from Caleb Miller; a block from Miller, Rocky DeLyon and Brett Anderson; and a Tiger attack error.
Pacific called a timeout to regroup and tried to take back control of the game. Unlike before, CBU stayed with the Tigers and never trailed by more than two points until the squads hit the 20-point range.
Even at 20-20, the Tigers put together three-straight points to put pressure on the Lancers. CBU responded with a kill from Brink, but Pacific blocked Brink's next effort to be at match point. The Lancers stayed alive off another Brink kill, but it was the last CBU would score as the Tigers finished the 25-22 set victory to end the night on a momentous high.
CBU returns back to Southern California, but concludes the 2014 season on the road as it heads to UC Santa Barbara and UCLA next week for its final two matches. The Lancers first take on the No. 5-ranked Gauchos on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. before heading to Los Angeles to face the No. 9 Bruins on Thursday, with the same start time.
