SportsVolleyball

Volleyball sweeps Pomona-Pitzer

Senior team captain and outside hitter Marisa Rojo adds to six kills and nine digs Wednesday against Pomona-Pitzer. Rojo’s back-to-back kills with senior middle blocker Alexia Balisteri sealed the 3-0 win for La Verne. Next, the Leopards will face the Whittier Poets at home 2 p.m. Saturday. / photo by Cortney Mace
Senior team captain and outside hitter Marisa Rojo adds to six kills and nine digs Wednesday against Pomona-Pitzer. Rojo’s back-to-back kills with senior middle blocker Alexia Balisteri sealed the 3-0 win for La Verne. Next, the Leopards will face the Whittier Poets at home 2 p.m. Saturday. / photo by Cortney Mace

Mark Acosta
Sports Editor

The volleyball team improved to 17-7 overall after a dominating sweep against Pomona-Pitzer, Tuesday night at Frantz Athletic Court.

With the win, La Verne moved into a tie with Whittier for second place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a record of 10-4 in conference play.

The Leopards controlled the game from the start, but allowed the Sagehens to hang around in the third set.

“That is going to be something we work on in practice tomorrow,” head coach Jenna Panatier said.

“We are in playoff mode right now and we need to focus on what we are doing because come postseason we will not be able to do that.”

In the first set, La Verne jumped out to an early lead of 13-7.

The Sagehens were able to bring it back to 15-12, but La Verne finished the set on a 10-0 run to put it away, 25-12.

La Verne jumped out to a 9-2 lead to start the second set, and from then on the dynamics were similar to the first set. Pomona-Pitzer battled to get the game within four points at 15-11, but after that La Verne only allowed them to get three points the rest of the set.

The Leopards used another long scoring run of 11-3 to close out the second set, 25-14.

“We just need to make sure we maintain our focus,” junior defensive specialist Kristen Sanchez said. “We need to keep pushing through until the game is over.”

Pomona-Pitzer grabbed an early lead from the Leopards to start the third set, which was the most competitive, with both teams trading points early.

With the game tied at 10-10, neither team could separate themselves with any sort of run.

The game was later tied at 21-21, and it felt as if the Sagehens had built some momentum and could win the set.

But the Leopards closed the game on a 4-1 run and won the set 25-22, completing the sweep.

“It was a focus thing,” junior setter Natalie Barragan said. “We needed to keep going and not lose our focus on that game.”

La Verne has had recent lineup changes and had to rely on some freshman to step up in place for players who are not available.

Freshman outside hitter Kiana Valdiviseo led all players in the game with nine kills and has been logging heavy minutes for the team in the absence of sophomore Mireya Rojo.

“It really is an amazing feeling,” said Valdiviseo. “Nothing would be possible without the positive support of my teammates. Especially when we are playing for each other.”

To close out the regular season, the Leopards have two games remaining.

They go to Occidental on Friday, then conclude conference play at 2 p.m. Saturday, in a home game against Whittier.

This is a crucial game for the Leopards, as they are currently tied and the match could be the difference between second and third place in the conference.

Saturday is also senior day, and the team will recognize the two seniors on the team: outside hitter Marisa Rojo and middle-blocker Alexia Balistreri.

Mark Acosta can be reached at mark.acosta@laverne.edu.

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