Volleyball Beats Benedictine in Five

Volleyball Beats Benedictine in Five

LA VERNE, CA — Junior Pi'ikea Clemens led all players with 17 kills and the University of La Verne picked up their first win of the year in an exciting five-set effort against Benedictine (Ill.).

Set Scores: 25-18, 21-25, 25-16, 25-27, 15-18

Stat Leaders

Pi'ikea, a transfer from San Francisco University added nine digs and a game-high six aces.

Madison Maynes dished out 48 assists, just four shy of her career-high, to go with 21 digs and four kills. Emma Estigoy led La Verne with 33 digs. 

Fifth Set

The Leopards rolled in the final set of the match, pulling away from the Eagles with an 8-0 run that included three aces by Darrah Jones and three kills by Ayana Mier.

How It Happened

The Leopards got off to a fast start jumping out to leads of 12-7 and 22-15 on their way to the opening set win. Clemens led the Leopards in the opening set putting down six kills of 11 attacks. Clemens and Mier each added an ace in the frame. The Leopards dominated offensively in the period with 19 of their points coming off kills. 

The Leopards fell behind 7-1 early in the second set but battled back to get to within two points after an Emily Cohen kill put the score at 19-17. A few points later, Mier cut the deficit to just one when she slammed down a kill to bring the score to 21-20. But the Eagles responded with a 4-1 run to win the set.

In the third, after the Eagles rallied to pull the score even 12-12, the Leopards went on a 6-0 run sparked by back-to-back aces by Clemens to take an 18-12 advantage. The Leopards ended the set with a 4-0 run highlighted by an ace from Jones. Jones finished the match with five aces, 12 kills, 25 digs, and two blocks.

With the fourth set tied 20-20, Clemens put down a hammering attack to give the Leopards the 21-20 lead. After the Eagles responded, Clemens added another kill and followed up with an ace to put the Leopards up 23-21. But Benedictine rallied from behind to win the frame and force a fifth set.

Cohen finished the game with 11 kills, six digs, two blocks, and one ace. Mier totaled 13 kills, five digs, three blocks, and two aces. Rylee Callen added nine kills, four digs, and two blocks.

The Eagles were led by Taylor Dunwell's 13 kills and 15 digs.

Game Two: Carroll (WI) 3, La Verne 1

Set Scores: 25-22, 25-23, 20-25, 25-22

The Leopards concluded the Pacific Coast Classic against the Pioneers falling in four sets to the visitors.

Clemens finished with a game-high 15 kills and added 14 digs. Maynes led all players with 45 assists to go with 15 digs, five kills, and four aces.

Cohen and Mier each added double-digit kills finishing with 10 apiece. Nicole Blumel was clutch at the line, totaling five serves to go with 14 digs.

Jones finished with 13 digs and nine kills.

Next Game 

The Leopards continue their busy schedule next weekend with a slate of four games at Colorado College's Spike it up Classic. The Leopards open the tournament on Friday, September 6 with an 11 a.m. game against Willamette before taking on the host Tigers at 5 p.m.

La Verne will conclude the tournament the following day with a 9 a.m. game against LeTourneau and a 1 p.m. match against MIT.

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