Volleyball played for the second straight night at home, facing off against the Hawaii Pacific University Sharks on Nov. 9. They avenged a loss to the Sharks earlier in the season with a four-set victory.
THE BATTLE BEGINS
The Eagles started set one on a roll, taking a 6-2 lead on a kill from sophomore outside hitter Sabrina Winslow and several HPU hitting errors. The Sharks fought back from a 21-16 deficit to tie the set at 23, but consecutive kills from Winslow and junior opposite hitter Karly Dantuma gave the Eagles the set 25-23.
Junior middle blocker Sierra Bauder led a six-point run for the Eagles early in the second set to give them a 12-8 lead. Following a long comeback from the Sharks, senior outside hitter Alli Beezer led a four-point stretch to put the Eagles back on top 18-17. HPU responded with several kills to lead a long run and gain set point 24-19. The Eagles tightened the gap to 24-22 on an ace from sophomore libero Kaitlin O’Brien, but a Sharks kill clinched the set 25-22.
EAGLES PULL AHEAD
The Eagles raced in front early in the third set to take a 10-4 lead. An ace from freshman libero Sami Hover pushed the lead to 16-10 later in the set. Junior setter Brinley Beresford stretched the lead to 20-13 on a kill, and Biola closed out the set with a smash from Dantuma to take it 25-16.
In the fourth set, the two teams battled to a 6-6 tie early. A Roth kill later in the set put the Eagles on top 13-11, but a Sharks run gave them the lead 16-14 to force a Biola timeout. HPU took a 22-19 lead, but a Dantuma kill brought the score to 22-21 and forced a Sharks timeout. A Winslow ace tied the score at 23 as the Eagles fought to claim the match. They would do so after several marathon rallies to take the set 27-25 on a block from Bauder and Beresford.
“We’ve been down and out, found a way to work ourselves back,” said head coach Aaron Seltzer. “Tonight was a little dirty and a little sloppy, but hey, they found a way to win.”
DOMINANCE AT HOME
Offensively, Winslow had another dominant night with 14 kills, while freshman middle blocker Bekah Roth and Dantuma finished with 10 and nine, respectively. Beresford put up 45 assists.
“Now that we’re here at home in our gym, I think it just gave us all the confidence,” Winslow said. “My motto is hit the ball hard and hope for the best.”
Bauder tallied seven blocks and senior libero Tess Van Grouw picked up 23 digs.
“I think our passing and serving was really good, so when it was good we were doing really good,” Roth said. “Our setter is really good so she knows when it’s best to set people.”
Biola returns to action at home against first-place California Baptist University at 7 p.m. on Nov. 11.
