Jonas Holt
Sports Editor
The No. 15-ranked La Verne volleyball team posted a dominant 3-0 sweep over the Occidental Tigers on Tuesday evening at Frantz Athletic Court, marking their 13th sweep of the season and strengthening their second-place standing in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
The Leopards entered the game riding high after a decisive three-set sweep against the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens and wasted no time showing why they’re among the top teams in the conference.
In contrast, Occidental arrived seeking its first conference win, holding a record of 3-17 overall and 0-13 in SCIAC play. Despite their efforts, the Tigers couldn’t keep pace with La Verne’s well-rounded attack and strategic plays.
The first set saw La Verne control the tempo from the outset. Graduate student libero Kaitlyn Patterson got the Leopards on the board following an Occidental error and from there La Verne never looked back. The Leopards capitalized on a series of Occidental errors, quickly extending their lead to 14-4. The team’s defense held strong, with sophomore middle blocker Zacky Coaston contributing two solo blocks and one block assist, helping La Verne secure a 25-14 victory in the opening frame.
“It was just about sticking to the basics and making sure we come out playing at a high level and continue playing at that high level,” junior outside hitter Mya Ray said.
Occidental came out stronger in the second set, catching the Leopards off guard with a quick 4-0 run. La Verne initially struggled, falling behind 9-3, but turned the momentum around with a 12-1 run that put them back in control.
“Sometimes I forget how young our team is, so we just need to find our voice and figure out how to work on our problems,” head coach Jeff Hendershot said.
Key contributions came from senior libero Madison Smith, whose two service aces helped build La Verne’s lead. After Occidental briefly rallied to tie the set at 17-17, La Verne surged ahead, finishing with an ace from Patterson to close out the set 25-17.
The Leopards maintained their momentum into the third set, with Patterson once again starting the scoring with an ace. Though Occidental stayed close in the early stages, La Verne methodically pulled away, extending their lead to 17-11.
With confidence high, the Leopards rotated in some of their less experienced players to give them valuable time on the court. Sophomore outside hitter Lauren Gott and Ray kept the offense rolling, and the Leopards clinched the sweep with a final score of 25-21.
“We’ve had some really great practices since the loss last Friday,” Patterson said. “We’re just ready to capitalize on anything and keep this momentum rolling into this final stretch.”
Ray led La Verne’s attack with 11 kills and 13 digs, with her sister, freshman middle blocker Mariah Ray, adding six kills and three blocks.
Coaston continued her stellar play, notching six blocks and four kills.
Other notable contributions came from senior outside hitter Allison Whiteman, who recorded four kills, four blocks, three digs and an ace, while sophomore setter Sydne Humphrey led the team with 13 assists.
As the Leopards look ahead to the final two games and the postseason, they are well-positioned to secure the No. 2 seed in the SCIAC Tournament, which would grant them a home-court advantage in the semifinals.
If they advance, they may face the top-seeded Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas, who lead the conference and represent the likely hurdle for a SCIAC Championship title.
The Leopards are now 19-5 overall and 11-3 in SCIAC play.
The Leopards’ next match is at 7 p.m. on Friday at Caltech, and they return home at 6 p.m. Saturday, where they will celebrate their eight seniors and take on Whittier on senior night.
“I’m super excited to celebrate the seniors and it’s going to be so emotional for us,” sophomore setter Malia Capistrano said.
Jonas Holt can be reached at jonas.holt@laverne.edu.
Jonas Holt is a senior journalism major with a concentration in print and online journalism. He is sports editor of the Campus Times, a staff writer for La Verne Magazine and staff photographer for both publications. He has previously been a staff writer for the Campus Times.
