Hal Hargrave
Staff Writer
A lack of execution by the No. 24 nationally ranked La Verne volleyball team resulted in a 3-0 loss to No. 3 nationally ranked Cal Lutheran Regals Oct. 30 on senior night at Frantz Athletic Court.
A pivotal Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match in regards to seeding for the conference postseason tournament, the contest ended in a sweep for the Regals over the Leopards, 25-18, 25-22, 25-23.
“I think that our execution broke down tonight,” head volleyball coach Jenna Panatier said. “I think both our service errors and our hitting errors were a testament to how our execution broke down. When you are playing a team like Cal Lutheran that executes everything that they need to do and gets the points that they need and we do not, then we are going to lose every time.”
What was a special night behind a large crowd of more than 500 fans, ended unconventionally for four seniors on their senior night; libero Anna Suarez, setter Kailey Faust, and middle blockers Hope and Nysa Allen.
The Regals came out to a strong start in the first set, leading 6-1.
The Leopards could never really find their groove and were down by as many as nine points.
A big run in the middle of the first set brought the Leopards back within five, 19-14 off three straight kills from sophomore middle blocker Cassie Thompson and junior outside hitter Brittany Yaxley.
However, Cal Lutheran managed to keep the lead and won the first set 25-18.
Sophomore middle blocker Kelsi Robinson finished the match with six kills, two digs and five total blocks.
“I think us being able to pick up our energy was a positive take from the match today,” Suarez said. “We know we can beat them we just were not on our ‘A’ game today.”
Suarez led the team with 12 digs.
La Verne came out strong in the second set with a 4-0 lead, but the Regals responded back quickly to go up 7-4 off of a hard-hitting run by sophomore outside hitter Michelle Lawrence.
The Leopards were down, 13-9, then fought back with four straight points behind Yaxley and junior outside hitter Ashlyn Cross.
The Regals went on a 5-1 run to take back control of the second set and put it away, 25-22.
Yaxley led the team with nine kills. Cross ended with five kills and 10 digs.
The Leopards stayed composed and mentally tuned in throughout the third set, as they never fell behind more than three points.
“I was able to be so effective tonight because of the passes I was receiving from the back line,” Faust said. “Because of the way that we restructured our block I was receiving three option passes, which put me in a great position.”
Faust ended with 14 assists.
Junior outside hitter Allie Eason of the Regals matched the Leopards point for point until both were tied at 22 in the third set.
The Regals then took three of the next four points to take the third set and close out the match, 25-23, behind the hitting of sophomore middle blocker Dianna Rohrer.
The newly nationally ranked volleyball team struggled over the weekend to hold its ranking but is still excited at the recognition it was finally given.
“The whole team was so pumped when we heard about our ranking this week,” Allen said. “When we heard we were No. 24 in the country and No. 2 in the West region, it really lit a fire under our butts and made us believe that anything we want to achieve this season we are capable of doing.”
Allen finished the match with five kills.
La Verne also suffered a loss in its last regular season game Saturday at the Rains Center against the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens, 3-0.
The three set sweep was led by the 2013 SCIAC player of the year, senior outside hitter Allie Frappier of the Sagehens who had 21 kills and 12 digs.
Yaxley led the way for La Verne with 16 kills.
Yaxley and Robinson were also named to first team all-SCIAC Wednesday.
“We definitely will rebound and come out in the conference tournament stronger than we did tonight,” Faust said. “We will continue to stay balanced and move the ball around and execute and hopefully we will come out with a different result.”
The two losses put the Leopards at 20-5 overall and third in SCIAC at 12-4.
“We now just have to go to work,” Panatier said. “We have to figure out and understand now that this late in the season that wanting something and working for something are two different things.”
The SCIAC postseason tournament also started Thursday, as the Leopards faced No. 18 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at Gilbert Arena.
Hal Hargrave can be reached at hallet.hargrave@laverne.edu.
