LA VERNE CA – The University of La Verne volleyball team came back from behind with a 3-1 victory over the visiting Whittier College Poets on Tuesday night. Rightside
Mariah Ray and outside
Lauren Gott tied for 12 kills and 15 points each.
Set one was a lengthy battle, complete with one long rally after another. Libero
Morgan Watkins refused defeat, passing dimes off of impressive swings. The sophomore, and newly named Leopard of the Week, dug 29 on Tuesday and set another career high. Ray followed through on Watkins digs, killing five on the night. Despite the valiant effort, the Poets pulled ahead and finished the set 25-16.
The Leopards pulled ahead quickly in the second set and never looked back. After a setter dump kill from
Jordyn McCoy, La Verne went on a run, earning 13 points and only allowing two from the Poets. Strong serves from
Lauren Gott forced Whittier to call a timeout, but their 11 point defecit was too large. A kill from senior
Emma Yogan, who finished with six kills and 10 digs, ended the set 25-12.
Set three was the thriller of the evening. Early kills from Gott pushed the Leopards ahead. Gott, the ever-present consistency of both the Leopards offense and defense, snagged 12 kills, 25 digs and two block assists. Middle blocker
Abigail Montana put a wall, deterring the Poets from advancing any further. The senior finished with five block assists, and 2.5 total blocks, following just behind
Zacky Coaston and Ray. The battle continued until it was all tied up at 25-25, thanks to a swing from Yogan. Two errors from the Poets and a fatal swing from Gott ended set three, 28-26.
La Verne showed grit in the fourth and emerged triumphant. Coaston swung early, scoring 9.5 total points for the Leopards on the night. She and
Alanna Jones traded kills in the fourth, excelling the Leopards up by 20-12. It was Coaston who had the final say, with a lethal swing off of Malia Capistano's set. Capistrano earned 26 assists and 14 digs against Whittier. The Leopards claimed the victory, 25-19.
The Leopards are back in action October 23 at 7 p.m. in The Tents facing the Occidental College Tigers.
