California Baptist University
10-13, 4-13MPSF
Harvard
9-7, 5-2EIVA
CBU Stays Perfect in Non-Conference
3/14/2016 10:00:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – It may have been a break from Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play, but California Baptist University still had a lot to play for Monday in a non-conference match at Harvard.
With an undefeated non-conference record and 15th ranking in the NCAA, the Lancers were looking to hold off a Crimson squad that was receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association polls. Despite suffering a first-set loss, CBU rebounded for a four-set win on scores of 20-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-21 to improve to 10-13 this year.
Both offenses were on display, with the Lancers outhitting Harvard .389 (56 kills, 14 errors on 108 attempts) to .342 (50-12-111), thanks to a 40-30 edge in digs. Roy Powell led the way with a double-double on 13 kills (.423, 13-2-26) and 10 digs. Enrique de Diego Garcia provided balance with five blocks, four digs and a team-high 16 kills on a .636 percentage (16-2-22).
Arturo Iglesias ran the offense and racked up 49 assists, along with three kills, three digs and a block. Luis Palos was big at the net and on the back line, too, with nine kills (.438, 9-2-16), eight digs, two blocks and two aces. Emmett Enriques also had eight digs for the Lancers.
Harvard pulled away late and took the first set with a clinching 5-1 run. CBU trailed in the early going but used a 7-2 run of its own to take a 17-16 lead in set two. Two kills from Powell and Garcia, who also had an ace, helped make up the run. It appeared another late run was going to lead the Crimson past the Lancers again, however, as the home team scored the next four points to force a CBU timeout.
Two service errors and a Powell kill got things going again for the Lancers and they never looked back. Down 22-20, CBU scored five of the final six points for the big victory. Garcia led the charge with four kills and Powell notched an ace of his own over the run.
Tied at 7-7, CBU put the third set out of reach with a 9-4 run. Powell had two kills and Palos had two kills and an ace, while DeLyon added a kill and ace of his own in staking the Lancers out to a 16-11 lead. Harvard would score two of the next three before CBU closed it out on an 8-2 run. Iglesias had two kills, while Palos laid down another kill and ace in the final charge.
A 4-2 run on two Palos kills and a block helped the Lancers grab a sizable 12-8 lead in set four. A 6-1 run not long after put the match away with CBU leading 20-13. Harvard answered with a 4-0 run to pull within 21-18, but a CBU timeout and kill from Powell broke the Crimson's momentum. The teams traded points from there, with kills from Palos and DeLyon giving CBU match point and a service error securing the win.
