Volleyball has now beaten the NAIA No. 2 ranked team twice this season. Saturday night Cal Baptist fell prey to the No. 9 Eagles in four sets, 20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-16. Biola improved and won with 12-4 and 5-1 in GSAC play. Meanwhile, CBU lost for the first time this season, falling 18-1 and 5-1 in the GSAC.
Biola jumped out to an 11-9 lead in the first set before falling behind 14-12. The Eagles briefly took the lead back before a dominating 11-4 run won the set for the Lancers. The Eagles committed nine errors while scoring only 11 kills in the first set.
The second set was very evenly matched until Biola took a 17-14 lead. CBU closed the lead to 19-18 but Biola won six of the last nine points to tie the match at one set a piece.
In the third set, the Eagles built up a 12-3 lead. After a Lancers run, Biola went up 22-13. The Eagles withstood a 10-2 run to win the set 25-23. Biola left nothing to chance, leading the entire fourth set, going up 19-15 and winning five of the final six points to complete the upset.
Senior Christine Douglas had 19 kills and two blocks, and senior Tavea Hampton added nine kills and three blocks. Senior Abbie Wright impressed with 24 assists and 12 digs, and freshman Gracee Gallarda added 20 assists and 10 digs.
After Saturday’s thrilling upset, Biola faced Westmont Tuesday night in Chase Gymnasium. The Eagles made quick work of the Warriors, sweeping them 28-26, 25-20, 25-15. The Eagles, who climbed to No. 3 in the new NAIA rankings, improved their record to 13-4, including a 6-1 mark in conference. Meanwhile, Westmont tumbled to 8-8, and 2-5 in GSAC.
Biola jumped out to an early 6-1 lead in the first set, but Westmont recovered and eventually tied the set at 24. Westmont had two chances to win the set, but did not capitalize and the Eagles took it 28-26. Biola fell behind 7-6 in the second set, but an 8-4 run gave them a 14-10 lead. The teams went back and forth, eventually equalizing at 20. Then senior Amy Mosebar delivered three kills as Biola took the last five points and the second set. The Eagles went up 12-3 in the third set and Westmont never recovered, losing 25-16.
Douglas led the match with 11 kills, and junior Kim Russell added nine. Hampton had eight kills and three blocks. As a team, Biola only committed 13 hitting errors and tallied seven blocks.
The Eagles’ next challenge comes from Vanguard University. The game takes place Thursday night at 7 p.m. in Chase Gymnasium. The Lions are 10-5, and 2-4 in conference and are coming off a loss to APU 3-2 on Saturday.
