Saturday, October 1
Fresno, Calif.
3 p.m.
California Baptist University
11-3, 6-0PacWest
3
at
2
Fresno Pacific
3-7, 1-5PacWest
1
2
3
4
5
F
California Baptist
24
20
25
25
15
3
Fresno Pacific
26
25
19
17
11
2
Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez
Comeback Saves CBU's Perfect Record
10/1/2016 5:15:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
FRESNO, Calif. -- After dropping the first two sets on the road, California Baptist University found its back up against a wall at Fresno Pacific. The Lancers rattled off three-straight wins to preserve their perfect conference record and stay atop the PacWest standings Saturday afternoon.
Serving fueled the Lancers to the 24-26, 20-25, 25-19, 25-17, 15-11 road victory over the Sunbirds. CBU improves to 11-3, 6-0 in conference to stay in first place in the PacWest, Fresno Pacific drops to 3-7, 1-5. California Baptist University posted a 9-3 edge in aces, with seven coming in the final three sets, which also led to a 13-7 advantage in blocks.
"Sometimes, it felt like we lived through a whole season in just one match," Coach Branden Higa said. "There were a whole range of things we had to deal with, from Fresno Pacific playing really well, to us losing a set, then losing another and being in that spot. The team really had to take stock of who they were and believe we could right the ship and we did."
Higa made a key adjustment in his rotation for set five, bringing senior Lauren Marr in through the front row right away. It certainly paid off.
Marr came up big with a kill to start a 3-0 run, which was also highlighted by an Elizabeth Gilley ace, that gave CBU an early 4-2 lead in the final frame. FPU rallied to force a 5-5 tie, but Marr sparked another 3-0 Lancer run, which was capped off by a Nicci Hinderaker ace, to keep CBU up three, 8-5.
"Marr definitely fought, she was a warrior for us," Higa said. "Lauren knows part of her role is to bring some ferocity out there, she was going after it in the front row."
The Sunbirds fought back within a point, 8-7, before Lauren Hackett helped put them away for good by spearheading a 5-1 sprint, with three kills and a block, that gave the Lancers a 13-8 cushion.
"The fifth set was back and forth at first, but that big run really gave us a ton of confidence," Higa said. "We started to defend and block in the end, and that was really the X-factor."
It was a big response from the Lancers after going down in the first two sets, as they showed a new level of maturity on the road. In the match overall, CBU hit .308 and held FPU to a .183 attack percentage.
"More than anything, it was getting to that set break between two and three, regrouping, digesting what had happened, coming together and sticking together through it," Higa said.
"We went back to keeping things simple, instead of trying to play perfectly.
"I think in the first two sets we were feeling the pressure a little. We haven't had a lot of close sets so far this year. It was kind of a new experience for us to be in a struggle like that."
Setter Sydney Kralj and hitters Hackett and Jenna Perry all posted double-doubles. Kralj had a season and career high 53 assists and 17 digs, Hackett smashed 25 kills and dug up 11 balls, while Perry logged 16 kills and 12 digs.
Tori Ortman posted a team-high 20 digs and four aces at libero. Marr gave CBU three hitters with at least 16 kills while hitting a team-high .400, with 16 kills and two errors on 35 attacks. Jessica Harris came up huge, with eight blocks, three kills and two digs in the middle.
The comeback started all the way back in set three -- obviously. Fresh off two set wins, Fresno Pacific threatened a sweep with a 16-13 lead in the third. The Lancers hit the reset button in a timeout, and Hackett came out with two-straight kills after the break to spark a 9-0 run. She scored four points in that series to put CBU ahead 22-16, en route to a set-three win.
"We never lost hope, but once we did go on that run I definitely felt we were back in control of our emotions and our ability to play our type of volleyball," Higa said.
CBU led early in set four, but the Sunbirds attempted to avoid a fifth set with a 5-1 run pulling them within a point, 15-14, in the middle half. Once again, Hackett came up big and gave the Lancers momentum with a kill. Then Harris scored consecutive points with blocks to start a 7-1 charge, with Perry providing two blocks and a kill in that span, to put CBU up 22-15.
The Lancers return home next week to host Notre Dame de Namur Wednesday at 7 p.m. before traveling to Concordia of Irvine Saturday at 5 p.m.
Serving fueled the Lancers to the 24-26, 20-25, 25-19, 25-17, 15-11 road victory over the Sunbirds. CBU improves to 11-3, 6-0 in conference to stay in first place in the PacWest, Fresno Pacific drops to 3-7, 1-5. California Baptist University posted a 9-3 edge in aces, with seven coming in the final three sets, which also led to a 13-7 advantage in blocks.
"Sometimes, it felt like we lived through a whole season in just one match," Coach Branden Higa said. "There were a whole range of things we had to deal with, from Fresno Pacific playing really well, to us losing a set, then losing another and being in that spot. The team really had to take stock of who they were and believe we could right the ship and we did."
Higa made a key adjustment in his rotation for set five, bringing senior Lauren Marr in through the front row right away. It certainly paid off.
Marr came up big with a kill to start a 3-0 run, which was also highlighted by an Elizabeth Gilley ace, that gave CBU an early 4-2 lead in the final frame. FPU rallied to force a 5-5 tie, but Marr sparked another 3-0 Lancer run, which was capped off by a Nicci Hinderaker ace, to keep CBU up three, 8-5.
"Marr definitely fought, she was a warrior for us," Higa said. "Lauren knows part of her role is to bring some ferocity out there, she was going after it in the front row."
The Sunbirds fought back within a point, 8-7, before Lauren Hackett helped put them away for good by spearheading a 5-1 sprint, with three kills and a block, that gave the Lancers a 13-8 cushion.
"The fifth set was back and forth at first, but that big run really gave us a ton of confidence," Higa said. "We started to defend and block in the end, and that was really the X-factor."
It was a big response from the Lancers after going down in the first two sets, as they showed a new level of maturity on the road. In the match overall, CBU hit .308 and held FPU to a .183 attack percentage.
"More than anything, it was getting to that set break between two and three, regrouping, digesting what had happened, coming together and sticking together through it," Higa said.
"We went back to keeping things simple, instead of trying to play perfectly.
"I think in the first two sets we were feeling the pressure a little. We haven't had a lot of close sets so far this year. It was kind of a new experience for us to be in a struggle like that."
Setter Sydney Kralj and hitters Hackett and Jenna Perry all posted double-doubles. Kralj had a season and career high 53 assists and 17 digs, Hackett smashed 25 kills and dug up 11 balls, while Perry logged 16 kills and 12 digs.
Tori Ortman posted a team-high 20 digs and four aces at libero. Marr gave CBU three hitters with at least 16 kills while hitting a team-high .400, with 16 kills and two errors on 35 attacks. Jessica Harris came up huge, with eight blocks, three kills and two digs in the middle.
The comeback started all the way back in set three -- obviously. Fresh off two set wins, Fresno Pacific threatened a sweep with a 16-13 lead in the third. The Lancers hit the reset button in a timeout, and Hackett came out with two-straight kills after the break to spark a 9-0 run. She scored four points in that series to put CBU ahead 22-16, en route to a set-three win.
"We never lost hope, but once we did go on that run I definitely felt we were back in control of our emotions and our ability to play our type of volleyball," Higa said.
CBU led early in set four, but the Sunbirds attempted to avoid a fifth set with a 5-1 run pulling them within a point, 15-14, in the middle half. Once again, Hackett came up big and gave the Lancers momentum with a kill. Then Harris scored consecutive points with blocks to start a 7-1 charge, with Perry providing two blocks and a kill in that span, to put CBU up 22-15.
The Lancers return home next week to host Notre Dame de Namur Wednesday at 7 p.m. before traveling to Concordia of Irvine Saturday at 5 p.m.
Team Stats
CBU-VB
FPU-VB
Kills
66
66
Errors
17
30
Attempts
161
183
Hitting %
.304
.197
Points
88.0
76.0
Assists
62
60
Aces
9
3
Blocks
13.0
7.0
Game Leaders
Kills
25
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
16
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
16
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
LIB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
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