WHITTIER, Calif. — The University of La Verne volleyball team limited Whittier to just 26 kills to notch a 25-21, 25-21, 25-20 sweep on Friday night at Graham Athletic Center.
The Leopards open SCIAC play with a win and improves to 7-2 overall. Whittier falls to 2-9 and 0-2 in the SCIAC.
La Verne limited Whittier to just .150 hitting and no Poet recorded more than seven kills. The Poets got off to a solid start with 15 kills on 44 attempts in the first set, but the Leopards solved the attack and allowed just 11 kills on 56 attempts in the final two sets to claim a convincing sweep.
The Leopards were just as formidable on offense. Kelsi Robinson registered a match-high 17 kills on .414 hitting and Cassie Thompson was even more efficient, knocking down nine kills on just 14 swings. La Verne registered 52 kills as a team and averaged a whopping 17.3 kills per set.
The Leopards had 18 kills and just four errors on 44 attempts to match the Poets' good start. Whittier's Casie Lowden put down three kills in a row early to stake the Poets out to an early advantage but the Leopards went on a 5-1 run keyed by a pair of kills apiece from Robinson and Delaney Lynch to take a 14-11 lead and never looked back.
The second set played out similarly as the first. The Poets hung around early as they scored five of their first six points on La Verne errors but the Leopards used another 5-1 run to create a six-point cushion.
The third and final set was all La Verne as the Leopards jumped out to a 9-4 lead led by a couple of kills each by Robinson and Kaylee Johnson. Whittier clawed back to get within 15-14, but La Verne responded with a 6-2 streak to create breathing room.
Lynch finished with 10 kills and Marisa Rojo added eight kills and 16 digs for the Leopards.
Tiffany Mancuso dished out a match-high 49 assists and Kristen Sanchez had a match-high 17 digs.
Olive Anagu led the Poets with seven kills.
The Leopards are back in action tomorrow at home against Redlands. First serve is at 6 p.m.