CLAREMONT, Calif., - The No. 8 Cal Lutheran volleyball team won their first road conference game Friday night against Pomona-Pitzer 3-1 (25-11, 25-19, 23-25, 25-14). With the win, the Regals improve to 10-3 on the year and 2-0 in the SCIAC.
Coach Roesel was pleased with the team's passing and defense but recognizes there as still some kinks to work out offensively, "I was really happy with how we handled the ball tonight and our middles came up big with a bunch of blocks. We struggled at times offensively so hopefully that is something we can improve upon."
CLU was led by freshman Allie Eason who recorded the first double-double of her collegiate career with 12 kills and 14 digs.
"Allie wasn't at her best offensively tonight but she played great defense and passed very well. Just like any freshman, she's still getting used to the speed of the game but she's proving she belongs out there," Coach Roesel said.
Lauren Rohach also shined on both sides of the ball. She tied Eason for the game-high in kills with 14 and was a defensive force getting in on six blocks for the Regals.
Senior Shannon Pearson had 10 kills on 20 attacks with only one error, good for a .450 hitting percentage. Sophomore captain Kylie McLogan finished with eight kills and 10 digs.
Setter Jena Chavez finished 45 assists and 10 digs while also recording a career-high four kills.
In the first set, CLU found themselves down 6-4 before the Regals would use a pair of 9-0 runs to win the set decisively 25-11.
Pomona-Pitzer fought back in the second set winning four-straight points to go up 14-13. The Regals would respond by winning seven of the last eight points to take the set 25-19 and go up 2-0 in the match.
The Sagehens would not go down without a fight however. The third set saw Pomona-Pitzer capitalize on 15 Regal attacking errors to go up 23-21. CLU would win two of the next three points to get within one at 24-23, but a kill by Sagehen outside hitter Samantha Cahill extinguished any chance of a sweep for CLU and forced a fourth set.
The fourth set saw CLU jump out to a 4-0 lead and never look back. Thanks to two-straight kills from Senior Erin Hedrick as a part of a CLU 9-2 run to end the set and push the Regals past the Sagehens 25-14 and win the match 3-1.
"We like to call Hedrick 'The Closer'," coach Roesel said. "She works hard in practice and goes up against two All-Americans every day so she's experienced that level of competition." Roesel continued, "I was glad to see her have success tonight and help us close out the match."
While the Cal Lutheran offense hit .218 as a team, its defense was strong holding Pomona-Pitzer to only a .099 attacking percentage.
The win over the Sagehens tonight marks the sixth-straight for the Regals in the series. The Sagehens fall to 7-5 overall and 2-2 in the SCIAC.
The Regals have a quick turn-around as they continue the road conference schedule traveling to Eagle Rock tomorrow night to face Occidental College at 7:00 p.m.
Box Score: CLU 3 Pomona-Pitzer 1
