California Baptist University
2-4,0-0WAC
Portland State University
1-5,0-0Big Sky
CBU Sweeps Portland State to Close Santa Clara Mission Classic
9/6/2025 1:05:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
SANTA CLARA, CA--- The California Baptist University volleyball squad closed the Santa Clara Mission Classic on Saturday morning as they took down the Portland State Vikings in straight sets.
The win put CBU at a 1-2 record for the tournament and a 2-4 overall mark. Defeating Portland State also gave the Lancers a 2-0 record against the Big Sky and a perfect record in Saturday matches after they bested Idaho State in the Ridge Invitational last weekend.
The Lancers put together their most complete set of the tournament to open the match as their offense and defense found their stride. Emery DeJong stepped up big time with six crucial kills to jolt the Lancer offense to an early start. CBU continued to attack the Vikings' defense and would find creases to execute their offense. The Lancers built up a sizable lead that Portland State could not overcome, leading to the 25-15 victory and 1-0 match lead.
The second frame produced an equally fast start for CBU as they scored on the opening three rallies. PSU would rally with five straight points of their own to take the momentum away from the Lancers. Portland State's lead would grow to as many as five as the set continued, but the Lancers continued to battle and did not let the deficit get out of hand. Out of the final CBU timeout, the Lancers would score 11 of the set's final 15 points, and a Viking service error would close the deal 25-23 in favor of Trevor Johnson's squad.
The third, and what proved to be final set, was a dogfight as both the Lancers and Vikings struggled for control over the other. Portland State led for the majority of the frame, but a late rally by the Lancers saw them take their first lead at 20-19. A clutch kill by Jordyn Waite-Ward paired with a pair of Viking errors gave CBU the final blow and the victory 25-23 to complete the sweep.
DeJong stepped up in a major way and was named the Player of the Match with 19 kills on a .429 hitting percentage. DeJong exited the previous match with an injury but bounced back in a critical spot in this match. Her 19 kills in three sets were the third-best mark in the Lancers' DI era and catalyzed a CBU offense in need of scoring. Olivia Melton also provided a tremendous spark for the Lancers after being inserted into the starting lineup for the match. Melton had six kills and ten digs on the outside and made critical plays in key moments. Maddie Brown led the team in assists with 29, while Gianna Perez added 12 digs at libero.
NEXT: The Lancers will return to Riverside for their home opener on Thursday, September 11, as they host The Joust Tournament in Van Dyne Gym.
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