Story by Cyanna Rosa 

LA VERNE, CA- The Leopards faced the Big Blue of Milikin tonight in the Tents in a five-set thriller. 

A great offensive game for Leo starters, Mya Ray and Noelani Soma, Ray dominated the evening with 21 kills and Soma followed with 13. 

During the first set, the Leos were down 11-4 but picked themselves up with block assists by Mya Ray and Kari Esseff to lead to the tightest score of the set, 18-17. They fell just short, and started the second set down by one. 

It was a tight second set throughout La Verne's 25 points. The set ended in two back-to-back kills by Ray, assisted by Jordyn Patton to win the second. 

Mimicking the first set scoreboard, the third set lit some fire under both teams. But La Verne couldn't hold on tight enough after two back-to-back kills by the Big Blue which ended the third and put them up over the Leo's 2 games to 1. 

Leopard hitter Nalani Young opened up the fourth set with the first two kills. Her teammates followed on a point spree to end the fourth set with a La Verne win, 25-20. 

The fifth set started off strong for the Leopards, as they maintained the lead for 13 rallies. But the Big Blue persisted, surpassing the Leopards and ending the set on top. The fifth set win gave Milikin the match, and the evening ended 3-2 with set scores of (20-25), (25-20), (20,25), 25,19), (9,15). 

Continuing the tournament, the Leopards host two more games on Saturday against St. Scholastica and Sul Ross St.