Senior Night Sweep

Friday, April 1

Riverside, Calif.

7:00 PM

California Baptist University

14-14, 6-14MPSF

UC San Diego

5-20, 0-19MPSF

UC San Diego

California Baptist

Photo by: Nyck Yashiro

4/1/2016 9:42:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Sammi Sheppard, Director of Sports Information

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — For the first time since joining NCAA Division II, California Baptist University men's volleyball has a shot at postseason after sweeping UC San Diego Friday night.

The Lancers grabbed a 25-23, 26-24, 25-16 win over the Tritons to move even on the year, 14-14, and stand 6-14 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation with just two matches left in the regular season. UCSD drops to 5-20 on the year, still looking for its first MPSF win (0-19).

"We started out the week knowing we have some control over our destiny for the MPSF tournament," said Coach Derek Schmitt. "We needed these wins this week. I'm proud of the guys and that we were able to get these close ones. We came up with the points when we needed them."

As a team, CBU hit .378 in the match, including an impressive .522 clip in the third set, while holding UCSD to a .176 hitting percentage. Rocky DeLyon put in a solid night in his final home match of his Lancer career, finishing with 12 kills on a .556 hitting percentage. Fellow senior Roy Powell led the Lancers with 13 kills and four service aces.

"I'm especially happy for Rocky and Roy to close out their home careers with good wins this week," said Schmitt. "They came up big in the home finale."

Neither team could really jump out in front in the first set until CBU put together a 5-1 run to hold a 13-9 lead and force a UCSD timeout. Even at 8-8, Powell got the spurt going by slamming down a kill before back-to-back attack errors gave CBU a little cushion. The Tritons managed to get the next point, but kills from Enrique de Diego Garcia and DeLyon sandwiched a Rohit Paul ace to give the Lancers the first significant lead of the night.

UCSD battled back and even took the lead 16-15, before CBU called a break to regroup. The Lancers evened the set up at 17-17 and took back their lead on a block from Powell and Kevin Vaz.

The Tritons wouldn't let the Lancers run away with the set, however, tying the score at 20-20 and 23-23. Garcia gave CBU set point on a kill, sending Cody Jackson back to serve. The junior sealed the victory with an ace, giving the Tritons no hope of returning his service.

Another battle ensued in set two, but CBU grabbed the first significant lead. Up 13-11, the Lancers scored four-straight points to hold a six-point edge, 17-11. DeLyon had a kill and teamed up with Vaz and Powell for a block in that span, with an Arturo Iglesias ace and a UCSD attack error also fueling the run.

UCSD clawed its way back into the set, tying the score at 23-23 and 24-24 to extend the set. The two Lancer seniors took the set into their hands and scored the next two points for the win. DeLyon laid down a kill to give CBU set point and Powell put up a solo block to end it.

CBU saw itself trailing 8-6 early in the third set, but momentum soon took a big shift in the Lancers' favor. Powell grabbed the sideout kill and then took his spot at the service line, where he would be for the next seven serves.

"It was over when Roy went back to serve," said Schmitt. "He made it tough for them to come back. It was great for him to get that separation for us. As a senior, he took it upon himself to help deliver when we needed it."

Powell posted three aces in the span, while Rohit Paul grabbed two kills and the Tritons gave up an attack error to put CBU in control, 13-8.

UCSD tried to get make up some ground, but every time the Tritons got a point, CBU was able to get it right back. The visitors cut within four, 16-12, but a Vaz kill and combo block with Powell, along with an ace from DeLyon, all but put the set out of reach, 19-12.

Despite the battle throughout most of the match, it ended in a semi-anticlimactic fashion as a Triton served straight into the net to give the Lancers the 25-16 third-set win.

"It's always great to go out on a high note," said DeLyon. "It's just a testament to how different this season is and what good work the team has been putting in. It's such a blessing to win on Senior Night."

CBU hopes to build on its three-match win streak heading to Hawaii next weekend to battle for the eighth and final spot in the conference tournament. The Lancers take on the eighth-ranked Rainbow Warriors next Friday and Saturday, both set for 10:00 p.m. Pacific time first serves.

"We need some things to go our way this weekend and next, if they do, we'll need to take care of Hawaii," said Schmitt. "It'll be tough."

"Of course a sweep in Hawaii is big, especially on their senior night and back home," added DeLyon, who is from Hawaii. "That would be nice."