CBU Responds for Record 22nd Win

Wednesday, November 1

Riverside, Calif.

7 PM

California Baptist University

Dominican

California Baptist

Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez

CBU Responds for Record 22nd Win

11/1/2017 9:37:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – A first-set loss had California Baptist University in need of a response, and the third-ranked Lancers certainly got that in a four-set win over Dominican, 17-25, 25-8, 25-9, 25-17, on Wednesday night in the Van Dyne Gym.

It gives CBU an NCAA-era single-season record 22 wins and keeps its undefeated record (22-0, 14-0 in PacWest) intact. The Lancers will host Dixie State for an early Senior Day on Friday at 7 p.m., as they look to keep their record-setting run going this year.

After dropping the opening game, the Lancers came out with a vengeance from sets two through four. CBU posted a sideout and hitting percentages over 68 and 44 after the first set and logged 10 aces and blocks after the first set.

"That was the response we were looking for," Coach Branden Higa said. "We got out dug 25-15 in that first set and then after that we locked in and were able to defend and block, like we've done all season, and get back to who we were."

McKenna Witt and Yagoda Jedrzejczak led the Lancers' rally. Witt had an impressive double-double of 16 kills and 14 digs. The senior outside hitter attacked at a .355 percent (16-5-31) and also had two aces. Jedrzjeczak was a dual threat, as well, with seven kills on 14 swings and nine blocks.

"McKenna's offense was good, but it was her defense that stood out to me," Higa said. "She made every play that came to her. Yagoda really lifted us with her blocks, she owned the net in sets two through four and was a force."

Sydney Kralj got her team back on track with 46 assists, four aces and seven digs, while Lauren Hackett hit a match-high .419 (16-3-31) with 16 kills, two aces, eight digs and three blocks. Nicci Hinderaker added 11 digs for the Lancers, as well.

"Sydney set a really good match, to hit .143 in the first set and then finish up hitting .336 was really impressive," Higa said. "She stayed really composed, delivered the ball and distributed it pretty evenly."

Dominican hoped to build on its momentum in the second set and led 5-4 early, but the Lancers notched 11 of the next 12 points to grab a commanding 15-6 lead. McKenna had three kills and an ace in the run, but it started with Madison Witt serving.

The Penguins notched a point, but then saw CBU end the set on a 10-1 charge. There were four blocks in that span, with Jedrzejczak in on each and every one of them.

"We had a bit of a tough start there, we really had to reevaluate what we were doing, refocus and really start with the fundamentals," McKenna said. "We had to pass better so our hitters had more options and take a little pressure off Sydney [Kralj]."

A 13-2 run from the Lancers put Dominican in another deep hole in set three. The tough serves of McKenna and Elizabeth Gilley fueled CBU's momentum, along with three Hackett kills and two from Sydney Marks.

CBU scored 11 of the first 13 points in set four to give itself a comfortable 9-1 cushion. Hackett had three kills, an ace and block in the early going. Dominican brought its deficit all the way down to three, 16-13, but the Lancers scored six-straight points to pull away for good, up 22-13. It was Jedrzejczak's two blocks and a kill that sparked what ended up being the match-clinching run.

"We were getting them out of system, so it was predictable where they were going with the ball," McKenna said. "We were getting two blockers up on their hitters, and we were passing really well. I think those were the two keys."