California Baptist University
4-2
Alaska-Anchorage
5-1
Back-And-Forth Affair
9/12/2014 7:15:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
California Baptist University lost a five-set thriller with Alaska-Anchorage, which is receiving votes in the NCAA Division II top-25, in the GNAC-PacWest Crossover Friday...
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Less than 24 hours removed from a big, relatively comfortable sweep, California Baptist University faced plenty of adversity in a five-set thriller with Alaska-Anchorage.
Despite the Lancers showing tons of resiliency, they fell to the Seawolves 3-2 (20-25, 25-18, 28-30, 25-23, 15-12) during the GNAC-PacWest Crossover Friday night in the Van Dyne Gym. CBU used comebacks to win both its sets, but Alaska-Anchorage provided the final come-from-behind victory. Â
The Lancers move to 4-2 after their second five-set match of the season. The Seawolves, who are receiving votes in the NCAA Division II top-25, improve to 5-1 and 2-0 in the Crossover.
Jordyn Siko and Michelle Waber each logged double-doubles for the Lancers. Siko had a match-high 53 assists, 11 digs and five blocks, while Waber and Lauren Hackett tied for the match-high in kills with 16 each. Waber also had 14 digs, not too far off Becky Moodie's team-high 19. Jessica Harris finished the night with seven kills and seven total blocks.
The Seawolves took the first sizable lead of the day, jumping out to a 9-5 edge in the first set to force a CBU timeout. The Lancers came back to tie things at 10, which started the back-and-forth affair. The score was knotted five more times in the first set at 11, 12, 16, 17 and 18.
From there, CBU's offense took over with six-straight kills to secure set point at 24-18. Marr (11 kills) had four of those kills, with Waber and Jenna Perry each adding one of their own. Alaska-Anchorage managed to pull within four, 24-20, before Perry (eight kills, five blocks) closed it out, 25-20, with her third kill of the set. Â
The Seawolves evened the match out by winning the second set, 25-18, and the intensity continued to build in the third set, with CBU exhibiting a never-say-die mentality. It did not look good late for the Lancers, as Alaska-Anchorage had leads of 21-16, 23-20 and also held set point at 24-23, 25-24, 26-25, 27-26 and 28-27. Â
Down 21-16, kills from Perry and Hackett, along with two unforced UAA errors brought CBU within two, 22-20. Straight kills from Waber and an Alaska-Anchorage error tied things up for the Lancers at 23-23. Momentum shifted sides routinely from there until it looked like Alaska-Anchorage got the kill it needed to end the set at 29-27.
The Seawolves' celebration was cut short, as it was ruled the player hit the net on the attack, giving CBU a point to keep things even at 28-28. The Lancers claimed the next two points and the set, 30-28, on a Siko ace and Waber kill.
There were nine ties in the fourth set, with the latest coming at 19-19. Alaska-Anchorage scored consecutive points late to grab a 23-20 edge, but CBU closed within one after kills from Hackett and Siko. Both teams traded service errors before a Katelynn Zanders kill gave the Seawolves the set, 25-23, to send things to a winner-take-all fifth.
The Lancers took the first lead in the deciding set, with a 3-0 run giving them a 4-1 edge, and another 3-0 spurt keeping them in front, 8-6. CBU took another three-point edge, 11-8, following a Perry kill but the Seawolves had the last run of the night to win the set, 15-12, and the match.
CBU closes out the Crossover with two matches Saturday. The Lancers will face No. 13 Central Washington at noon and end the tournament with a match with Northwest Nazarene, which is receiving votes in the Division II top-25.
