Boxscore

Post-match press conference

A season of resolve, resiliency, resurrection and redemption came to an end for the University of La Verne on Saturday as it dropped a tough four-set decision to Cal Lutheran by scores of 22-25, 25-19, 18-25 and 26-28 at the NCAA West Regional Semifinal at Gilbert Arena in Thousand Oaks.

La Verne, ranked No. 25 in Division III, hit .263 on the night and received a strong outing from freshman Brittany Yaxley, who hit .362 on the evening en route to a team-high 22 kills.  But the eighth-ranked and top-seeded Regals rode a 28-kill effort from Kylie McLogan to victory.

Cal Lutheran opened strong on its way to taking the first set by a margin of three at 25-22.  La Verne fought back and would even the contest by hitting a match-high .375 in the second, set to prevail 25-19. CLU took the first four points of the third frame and would maintain its lead and turned away the Leopards for the 25-18 win. 

The final set would require extra points as the Leopards battled from an early deficit.  Down 24-22, La Verne fought off a pair of match points to draw even at 24.  The Leos would earn a set point of their own at 25-24, but CLU held off the Leos and would eventually win the set at 28-26 to advance to the region finals.

Aside from McLogan, Shannon Pearson hit .368 with nine kills while Allie Eason added 19 kills. Jena Chavez handed out a career-high 59 assists with  Rachel Smith adding 21 digs.

Yaxley paced the Leos with her team-high of 22 kills while senior Randi Taylor-Toomay added 10.  Senior setter Kendall Kraiss posted 43 points and finished with 13 digs for a double-double with Morgan Donohue led the Leos with 18 digs.  Kayla Cribbs totaled four block assists and Catie Logan tallied a trio of service aces for the Leopards.

La Verne concludes the season with a 22-6 overall record after earning its first NCAA postseason berth in three seasons and the first under head coach Jenna Panatier. 

The contest marked the final Leopard appearance of the outstanding four-person senior class consisting of Kraiss, Logan, Taylor-Toomay and Cribbs, each of whom earned numerous conference and region honors during their careers.