Lancers Scrap Way To 17th Win

Wednesday, October 11

Riverside, Calif.

7 PM

California Baptist University

Chaminade

CUH-VB

California Baptist

Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez

Lancers Scrap Way To 17th Win

10/11/2017 9:26:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – On several occasions, all one could do was step back in awe and admire California Baptist University's scrappy play in a three-set PacWest victory over Chaminade on Wednesday night in the Van Dyne Gym.

It powered the sixth-ranked Lancers to a three-set win over the Silverswords, 25-14, 25-21, 25-20. Chaminade was one of the stronger teams CBU has faced in the conference so far this season, but that did not change the result, as the home team secured its 15^th sweep of the year to improve to 17-0, 9-0 in the PacWest, while Chaminade dropped to 9-8, 4-5.

"They have a lot of hitters with a lot of good arms who can really attack the ball," Coach Branden Higa said of Chaminade. "We haven't seen that many good arms on the court in a couple of matches. The team was pumped, the energy before the match was good and we were just excited to go out there and compete against one of the top teams in the conference."

CBU served tough, with a 6-3 advantage in aces, kept rallies alive and usually found ways to finish them, with a .309 hitting percentage (41 kills, 12 errors on 94 attacks) on Wednesday. Madison Witt hit .542 percent on the night, with a match-high 14 kills on 24 attempts, while setter Sydney Kralj finished with 29 assists, eight digs, three kills, two blocks and an ace.

Nicci Hinderaker posted 10 digs, two aces and six assists from the libero position, while Sydney Marks logged four kills and five blocks. McKenna Witt (six digs, three blocks) and Lauren Hackett (five digs) each put down nine kills and an ace in the match.

Chaminade showed it was not intimated by the highly-ranked Lancers and took a 10-9 lead to start the set. The Silverswords have already faced two top-10 teams this season, including the current overall No. 1, but they were still not ready for CBU.

Madison sparked a 9-0 Lancer run with consecutive kills and then scored two more points on a kill and block assist with Marks. McKenna scored two of the next three points with kills, while an attack and set error gave CBU a 19-10 lead.

The Lancers finished the set, 25-14, on a 4-0 run on a kill from Hackett and combo block and quick kill from Kralj.

"We made a couple of scrappy plays in long rallies that we ended up winning, and that was a big difference for us," Higa said. "When our service game is good, we can go on runs and we did that in both sets where we got them in a tough spot because we served tough and were able to defend around it."

An early 6-1 run on two Hackett kills, a team block of Kralj and Marks and a McKenna spike gave CBU a 12-6 lead in set two. Chaminade fought back to a two-point deficit, 18-16, but a service error and block from Jedrzejczak and Madison made it 20-16. Consecutive kills from Hackett and Jedrzejczak kept it a four-point lead, 22-18, while a Madison kill and block from McKenna and Marks ended it on a 25-21 score.

CBU broke a 5-5 tie with a 10-5 run in set three, thanks in part to two kills and an ace from Madison. The Silverswords pulled within a point, 15-14, but a kill from McKenna, solo block and spike back-to-back from Hackett increased the Lancers' lead to 19-15.

Three-straight kills – one from Hackett and two from Madison – pushed CBU's lead to 22-17 and the home team finished the match on a 3-0 run composed of a Madison kill, Hackett ace and block assist off the hands of Jedrzejczak and McKenna.

"It was all about pursuit, hustle, just believing and trying to make that one extra touch," Higa said of his team's ability to make amazing plays. "Things like that happen when you go hard. I was happy we were able to win those rallies because those are difference makers in matches. They test your endurance and how patient you are. We've won a majority of those plays, which as a coach, that's what you want."