THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Cal Lutheran women's volleyball team wasted no time getting back in the win column, sweeping Azusa Pacific 3-0 (25-19, 25-15, 26-24) Thursday night at Gilbert Arena.
The Regals (11-6) responded to their first SCIAC loss of the season with a statement performance, outhitting the Cougars .301 to .124 while recording 11 total blocks.
Reese Balagot led the Regals with 12 kills while hitting .409, followed by
Emily Ford and
Tarin Rueckert with nine kills apiece. Rueckert was a force at the net, recording a match-high six blocks to go with her nine kills and a .467 hitting percentage.
Aby Tibesar added four kills without an error, hitting .667 while contributing five blocks.
Kimmy Wilson dished out 19 assists and served three aces, while
Makenna Kawamura added 12 assists. Defensively,
Keegan Corley and Wilson tied for the team lead with 13 digs apiece.
Cal Lutheran set the tone early in the opening set, as Ford and Tibesar teamed up for a block on the first point of the match. After APU briefly took a 4-2 lead, three consecutive kills from Balagot and another from Rueckert put the Regals back in front. Cal Lutheran continued to build its advantage, and a late 5-1 run featuring kills from Ford, Tibesar and
Kennedy Smith helped the Regals close out the set 25-19.
The Regals carried that momentum into the second set, with
Cienna Alvarez opening the frame with a service ace. After the teams traded points and APU strung together four straight to take the lead, Cal Lutheran responded in a big way. The Regals erupted for eight consecutive points to turn a close set into a commanding 21-12 advantage, with kills from Ford, Smith and Balagot fueling the run. Wilson also added an ace, and Smith and Rueckert teamed up for another block. Rueckert then took over at the net, recording three straight blocks before finishing the set with a kill for the 25-15 win.
APU made the third set a battle, as the Regals' early 8-3 lead gradually disappeared. Cal Lutheran built another cushion with a four-point run, but the Cougars continued to fight back, eventually taking a 18-15 lead with a 6-1 stretch. The Regals answered with four straight points to regain control, setting up a tense finish. APU tied the score at 21-all before reaching set point at 24-21, but Cal Lutheran refused to let the match continue. Ford delivered a pair of clutch kills before Tibesar sealed the sweep with a solo block, capping a five-point run and securing the 26-24 victory.
The Regals return to Gilbert Arena on Saturday, October 17, for a 2 p.m. Homecoming matchup against Chapman. It will be the first and only regular season meeting between the teams this year, with the Panthers entering the weekend at 4-3 in SCIAC play and sitting in a tie for fourth place in the conference standings with La Verne. Cal Lutheran will look to carry Thursday's momentum into the matchup as it continues its push through the conference schedule.
Following the game, the Regals will host their annual Homecoming alumni game at 5 p.m.
