CLAREMONT, Calif. - The No. 2 Cal Lutheran women's volleyball team went up against Pomona-Pitzer in their final regular season contest and defeated the Sagehens 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-13, 25-17) to capture a share of their seventh straight Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) title. It is 13th title in program history and the Regals will advance to their eighth consecutive SCIAC Postseason Tournament.
In the first set of the match, Pomona-Pitzer put the first two points on the board until the Regals rebounded and grabbed four straight points to take a 4-2 lead. The game went back and forth from there with each team taking the lead a number of times. The Sagehens took the lead after winning five straight points against CLU. The Regals trailed until they were able to tie it up 16 all. The Violet and Gold were able to take the lead at 19-17 and hold off the Sagehens to take the set by four points 25-21.
The Sagehens took an early lead again in the second set. The Regals were trailing for most of the set but were able to keep the score within three. CLU tied it up at 15 all but the Sagehens continued to push back and went up by two 17-15. The Regals were not able to overcome the deficit and lost the set 25-21.
The third set stayed with the theme of the match with the Sagehens starting off with the first point. The Regals were able to take the lead from Pomona-Pitzer and add to it. The Regals went on a seven-point scoring run with the help of Molly Holloway providing an ace on service to further the Regals lead to 8-2. The Violet and Gold went on a six-point scoring run with Nicki Tetherow on service who helped out with two service aces, putting the score 17-8 CLU. The Regals finished the set out by holding the Sagehens to just 13 points, 25-13 CLU.
The Regals trailed for most of the beginning of the fourth set. The Regals swung the momentum after tying the set at 12 all. Jamie Smith went behind the back line on service and aided CLU's five-point scoring run, taking their first lead of the set, 18-13. The Regals clinched the co-conference championship title with a seven-to-one run to end the set and game at 25-17.
Monica Lundgren led the Regals with 15 kills, her highest mark of the season, and six blocks. Michelle Lawrence and Hope Stewart each had 11 kills while Lawrence finished with eight digs and Stewart had a double-double rounding up 10 digs. Sarah Pappas followed with eight kills and five blocks while Amanda Roberts had four kills, one service ace and five digs. Smith and Tetherow each had three service aces, Smith also had 40 assists and eight digs and Tetherow added 17 digs to round up the defense.
Cal Lutheran (23-4, 14-2 SCIAC) earned the No. 1 seed for the SCIAC Postseason Tournament and will host No. 4 Pomona-Pitzer this Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7:00 p.m. inside Gilbert Arena. No. 2 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps will host No. 3 La Verne and the winner of both semi-final matches will play at the site of the highest seed remaining on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 6:00 p.m. The winner of the SCIAC Postseason Tournament earns an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Tournament.
Box Score: CLU 3, PP 1
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