HIGHLIGHTS

CLAREMONT, Calif. – Cal Lutheran women's volleyball (0-1, 0-0) opened its 2025 season at the Pacific Coast Classic against St. Olaf, dropping the match three sets to none.

The Regals got off to a hot start thanks to five early kills, including two from Emily Ford, to go up 7-2. A six-point St. Olaf (1-1, 0-0) run gave the Lions the lead, and the two teams kept it close for the rest of the set. Cal Lutheran found itself trailing 15-19 before going on a 5-0 run to take the lead on Ford's fifth kill of the match. The Lions squeaked out a few more points for a 25-23 set victory.

Midway through the second set, the Regals were facing a 6-14 deficit when they caught fire for five straight points, highlighted by a kill and service ace from Kaylee Clayton and a kill and block by Tarin Rueckert. However, St. Olaf responded with a seven point run of its own and eventually took the set 25-18.

Early in the third, Cal Lutheran fell down 4-11 early. The Regals then won six of the next seven points to cut the deficit to two. Later on, back-to-back kills by Olivia Fernandes, her fifth of the set, and Ford put Cal Lutheran down 20-22. But the Lions would prevail, capturing the third set 25-21 and winning the match.

Despite the results on the scoreboard, the Regals showed some offensive firepower by registering 37 kills to the Lions' 34. Ford led the team with 10, and Rueckert and Fernandes totaled six apiece. Rueckert added a team-high two blocks.

Setters Kylee Grimm and Makenna Kawamura split time, with Grimm collecting 17 assists and Kawamura providing 12. On defense, libero Keegan Corley picked up where she left off last season with 19 digs, while Grimm and Clayton each had 10.

The Regals will look to regroup as they take on Buffalo State today at 10:00am on the campus of Pomona-Pitzer.