THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - After defeating Whittier 3-0 (25-20, 27-25, 25-20) Tuesday night, the Cal Lutheran volleyball team improved to 19-1 overall which is its best start to a season since 2001. The win also meant the Regals have swept the Poets in both regular season games for the 10th consecutive year. To make the day even sweeter, CLU moved up one spot to No. 3 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 poll, its highest ranking ever.

The Regals and Poets were tied at 5-5 in the initial set when CLU used a 6-0 run to grab its first lead of the game. The run was highlighted by a kill from Allie Eason and a block and a kill from Lauren Rohach. Cal Lutheran would go on to lead by as many as seven at 17-10 before closing out the first set victory at 25-20.

Whittier had caught Cal Lutheran on its heels to open the second set, climbing out to a 7-6 lead. The Regals would rally and go back and forth with Whittier with both teams exchanging the lead six different times. CLU moved ahead when Eason came up with a kill that earned her serve, and then put the Regals up 15-12 after back-to-back aces. Whittier would climb back however, retaking the lead at 19-17 and forcing CLU to call timeout.

The Poets would increase their lead to 21-18 before Hannah Orlandi entered the game as a sub and made an immediate impact. After a Poet ball handling, Orlandi had an ace serve to make it 21-20. Pua Mo'okini-Oliveira had a kill on the following point to get the teams even and then Orlandi had a back-court kill to give CLU its first lead since 4-2.

Cal Lutheran would commit to attacking error letting Whittier reclaim the lead and get to set-point at 24-22. Mo'okini-Oliveira had a roll shot on the next point and then Whittier suffered back-to-back attacking errors to give the lead back to CLU at 25-24. After the Poets tied it at 25-25, CLU won the set at 27-25 thanks to back-to-back kills from Eason and Mo'okini-Oliveira.

Jackie Russell piloted a five point run to gain a 7-2 advantage after notching a service ace and two dump shots. Eason would add four more kills in the set as CLU continued to lead at 13-9. The Poets would claw back to 15-13 after CLU had two ball handling errors. Cal Lutheran clung to a two-point lead before Rohach gave the Regals some much-needed breathing room with two kills and a block, making the score 21-16. CLU would close out the set and the match at 25-20 thanks to roll shot from Kylie McLogan on the final point.

McLogan led the Regals with a double-double after collecting 12 kills and 13 digs. Eason was second with nine while Mo'okini-Oliveira had seven and Rohach six on 14 swings with no errors.

Russell dished out 28 assists, had two kills and a service ace to go along with eight digs.

Playing for the first time this season as the primary libero, Nicki Tetherow tallied 15 digs.

Alayna Rigo led Whittier with 13 kills.

Whittier drops to 13-9 and 4-5 in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC).

Cal Lutheran (19-1, 9-0 SCIAC) resumes action next Saturday, Oct. 19 when it takes part in a double header in Claremont, Calif. The Regals take on Rose Hulman Tech at 2:30pm before playing host Pomona-Pitzer at 6:00pm.

Box Score: CLU 3 WC 0
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