ULV goes distance in 5-game loss to 1st-place Cal Lutheran
Campus Times
October 29, 1999
Freshman setter Meredith Zembal stretches to make a pass during Saturday's
match at Pomona-Pitzer. La Verne plucked the Sagehens in three games 15-8,
15-11 and 15-8. ULV lost Tuesday night to Cal Lutheran in five games. The
Leopards face the University of Redlands at home tonight.
The last hope for a conference championship was dashed Tuesday night
for the University of La Verne women's volleyball team as it came up just
short in a close five-game match against Cal Lutheran University.
After losing the first game, ULV took the next two, but was unable to
win either of the last two games and lost 8-15, 15-10, 15-13, 13-15 and
13-15.
With the score 13-13 in the decisive rally-scoring fifth game, the Regals
scored the last two points to win the game, 15-13, and the match, 3-2.
La Verne held a 13-9 advantage in the game but was unable to close out
the match and Cal Lu recorded the last six points.
With only two matches remaining, the Regals (16-9), now 10-0 in conference,
clinched their second consecutive Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference (SCIAC) championship. It is their fifth championship in six years.
The Leopards are now 6-3 in SCIAC and 12-7 overall with three games
left on the schedule.
La Verne had its best opportunity to win the match in the fourth game
as it had a 10-3 lead. But Cal Lu evened the score at 12-12 and went on
to win 15-13 and force a fifth game.
"We should've won the fourth game and we should've won the fifth,"
said head coach Don Flora. "Should'ves and could'ves."
The Regals took command early in the first game and had a 10-1 advantage
at one point. ULV came back to within five, at 13-8, but could get no closer.
Cal Lu again had control early in the second game before La Verne took
a 13-8 lead with two three-point runs. ULV's 15-10 win evened the match
at one game apiece.
The Leopards, paced by two kills and a block by junior outside hitter
Amy Brummel, led 6-0 in the third game and looked to be well on their way
to a win. But the Regals rallied all the way back to tie the score, 6-6.
Neither team could take more than a three-point lead after that. With
the score tied 13-13, an ace by freshman outside hitter Sue Witcher, who
had a match-high four, and a kill by freshman outside hitter Kelsey Kennedy
won the game for ULV.
"They came prepared," Flora said of the Leopards, who lost
to the Regals 4-15, 9-15, 15-11 and 5-15 on Oct. 8. "We were emotionally
and psychologically more prepared than we've been. Emotionally and effort-wise,
we put it on the line.
"We got better at passing the ball and we got better at doing the
things we do well," Flora said regarding his team's improved play against
Cal Lu.
The Leopards grabbed a quick 5-0 lead in the fourth game and seemed
to be in control. They led 10-3 when Cal Lu called a time out. The Regals
then outscored La Verne 12-3 and won 15-13.
Another ace by Witcher gave ULV a 12-7 lead in the fifth game before
Cal Lu went on a 8-1 run to win the match.
Brummel and Witcher led the Leopards with a match-high 18 kills each.
Brummel also had a match-high seven blocks and contributed 10 digs. Freshman
middle blocker Stacey Lupu had 13 kills and 10 digs and Kennedy led ULV
with 13 digs.
La Verne warmed up for its match against Cal Lu with a convincing three-game
victory over Pomona-Pitzer Saturday. ULV won 15-8, 15-11, 15-8.
Witcher and Kennedy led the Leopards' attack with 13 kills each as they
dominated the host Sagehens.
Lupu contributed nine kills in two games and sophomore middle blocker
Adriana Contreras recorded team-highs of nine digs and 2.5 blocks.
Senior middle blocker Allison Moore added 2.5 blocks and Witcher had
two for the Leopards, who outhit Pomona-Pitzer .351 to .189.
