By Cyanna Rosa
LA VERNE, CA- The women's volleyball team had a striking game tonight against the Chapman Panthers. The Leopards only permitted one set win for the Panthers, ending the game in a 3-1 victory in The Tents.
The Panthers' defense could not keep up with three of the Leopard starters holding sky-high kill percentages in tonight's game: Nalani Young (.324), Olivia Rueckert (.522), and Kari Essef (.440), each ranging from twelve to seventeen kills for the Leopard win.
SCIAC's Specialist of the Week, Jordyn Patton, started the Leopards off on a strong 5-0 note, serving the first 5 points of the game right before Chapman had to use their first timeout. Patton assisted in ninety percent of kills tonight, aiding in 52 points for La Verne. The Leopards did not let the Panthers get points on the scoreboard ending the first set 25-10.
The Leopards were challenged in the second set, with a neck-to-neck last half. Senior, Kari Essef struck four of her twelve kills for the night, but ultimately, the Leopards could not find their footing with the last few points, 23-25.
Middle blocker, Essef, began the third set with back to back kills on the Panthers. The Leopards went back to the basics and outscored the Panthers, this time by almost double. Middle blocker Olivia Rueckert struck down four kills this set, and set the Panthers back, 25-13.
The fourth and final set was a kill spree for the three starters on fire for tonight's game. Although the score was not as far, the Leopards separated 21-16 from the Panthers before two kills by Junior, Nalani Young, and two kills by Freshman, Mya Ray, won the game for La Verne, 25-21.
The Leopards head to Caltech for their next conference game this Friday at 7PM PST hoping to catch their seventh conference win.