Rubbie Chavez
Staff Writer
The volleyball team remains undefeated after a 3-0 sweep against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday at Frantz Athletic Court.
The first set of the game started off strong with offense putting up points to give the Leopards the lead. After a back-and-forth match, CMS fought back, putting up 20 points against La Verne
The Leopards had big plays from senior outside hitter Mya Ray and junior opposite Alanna Jones that helped secure the Leopards win in the first set, 25-20.
Jones had four kills and five blocks against the Athenas.
“Winning all the long rallies, those are key for a momentum game, and I think we did a really good job at keeping the ball off the ground,” Jones said. “We put on a show.”
In the second set the Leopards started where they left off with a strong 6-1 lead. Keilani Mumolo, graduate student libero, kept the ball in the air with the help of her team and allowed Leopards to hold their lead.
“I have to credit my team…It’s not about me at all…I’m just really proud of how we came out,” Mumolo said. “I think our mentality from start to finish was just take care of it, and I think we showcased that tonight.”
Mumolo put up five assists and led the team in digs with putting up 16 against CMS.
La Verne took set two, 25-20.
Set three started off with CMS attacking the Leopards early on. The Athenas capitalized on errors that the Leopards were making, giving them a big lead.
The points the Athenas made didn’t stop offense and defense from the Leopards as they continued to win long sets. The game changed as the Leopards started to trail only four points behind the Athenas giving them the green light to capitalize on momentum.
During the third set big attacks from junior opposite Abigail Montana gave the Leopards the
lead. Montana was a consistent player throughout the game, but she truly solidified her performance in the third set.
“At the end right there, I kind of picked it up and just did the best I could to help my team win this game,” Montana said. “At the end there it was looking like a fourth step, but we came back and all the energy in the gym from the stands, to on the court, and the bench, everyone was just amazing.”
Montana put up four kills and 11 attacks against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
La Verne went on to win set three against CMS from a late comeback to finish off at
25-20 again.
La Verne assistant coach Ayana Mier said she was proud of the team’s performance and the work they have been putting in to keep their record undefeated.
“We’ve been having some really good practices and rolling through these games, every position did a really great job tonight, so a big testament to our team,” Mier said.
She is confident in the team’s next match up against Cal Lutheran.
“We went to five with Cal Lutheran last time, but we’re a way different team than we were back then. I’m really looking for an exciting match,” Mier said.
The Leopards beat the Regals in a three-set sweep to put their record at 21-0 for the season.
They will next host Caltech at 7 p.m. Friday at Frantz Athletic Court.
Rubbie Chavez can be reached at rubbie.chavez@laverne.edu.
Rubbie Chavez is a senior communications major with a concentration in public relations, and a staff writer for the Campus Times. She is also a dedicated photographer for La Verne Athletics, and her passion for storytelling and sports through dynamic visual content. Her work can also be found on Instagram or at gfxbyrubbie.myportfolio.com
Rylee Fournier is a senior photography major with a marketing minor and a staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine. Outside of school, she runs her own photography business, specializing in weddings and portrait photography. You can find her work on Instagram or at ryleefournierphotography.com.
