CLAREMONT, Calif. – Cal Lutheran women's volleyball opened the 2026 season with a perfect 2-0 day Friday at the Pacific Coast Classic, sweeping Southwestern University 3-0 before rallying from an early deficit to defeat North Central College 3-1.
The Regals opened the day at Voelkel Gymnasium on the campus of Pomona-Pitzer, cruising past Southwestern 25-15, 25-19, 25-22. After a several-hour break and a venue change to Roberts Pavilion at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Cal Lutheran regrouped after dropping the opening set to North Central 25-10 and won the next three sets, 25-20, 25-22, 25-20.
GAME ONE: CLU def. Southwestern (25-15, 25-19, 25-22)
Cal Lutheran came out firing in its season opener, hitting .214 as a team while holding Southwestern to a .039 clip. The Regals also held advantages in kills (43-26), blocks (7-6), aces (6-5) and digs (50-40).
Three Regals reached double figures in kills, led by
Emily Ford and
Kaylee Clayton with 12 apiece.
Kennedy Smith added 11 kills while hitting .455 for the match.
Makenna Kawamura directed the offense with 17 assists and added 15 digs for a double-double.
Keegan Corley also posted 15 digs, while
Tarin Rueckert recorded a team-best four blocks and three aces.
Cal Lutheran took control early, winning the opening set 25-15 after building an 8-2 lead. The Regals continued to apply pressure in the second, using a late 7-2 run to turn a 13-13 tie into a 20-15 advantage before closing out the set.
The third set featured a tighter battle, but Cal Lutheran used a four-point run midway through the frame to move ahead 16-13 and maintained control down the stretch to complete the sweep.
GAME TWO: CLU def. North Central (10-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-20)
After the long break between matches and a move to Roberts Pavilion, Cal Lutheran faced an early test against North Central.
The Cardinals jumped out to a 12-5 lead in the opening set and never looked back, taking the frame 25-10. The Regals responded immediately in the second, overcoming an early 4-0 deficit and eventually taking a 18-15 lead before pulling away late to even the match.
Cal Lutheran carried that momentum into the third set, jumping out to an 6-1 advantage and later using a 4-0 run to take an 18-14 lead. North Central pulled within one at 22-21, but the Regals held firm and closed the set 25-22.
The fourth set was tightly contested early, with the teams tied at 13-13 before Cal Lutheran created separation. A 6-1 run pushed the Regals ahead 20-17, and CLU held on to finish the comeback with a 25-20 victory.
Smith led the Regals with 11 kills, while freshman
Cienna Alvarez made an immediate impact with nine in her first collegiate appearance. Ford added eight kills, while Rueckert posted eight more without an attack error for a .667 hitting percentage.
At the net, Ford led all players with six blocks and Rueckert added five. Kawamura finished with 20 assists and 14 digs, while Corley anchored the back row with a match-high 20 digs. Rueckert and Corley also combined for five of Cal Lutheran's eight aces.
UP NEXT
Cal Lutheran continues play at the Pacific Coast Classic on Saturday, September 5, facing Westminster College at 3 p.m. on the campus of University of La Verne.
