Claremont, Calif. - The Pomona-Pitzer Volleyball team went to extra points in two of three games, but fell 3-0 to first place La Verne on Friday evening at Voelkel Gymnasium.

Game scores were 26-24, 25-13, 26-24 as the Leopards prevailed on a service ace from Anna Suarez for match point.

With the loss the Sagehens drop to 8-9 overall and 3-6 in the SCIAC after playing their second straight match without leading hitter Michelle Schultz (Chicago, Ill.) due to injury. La Verne moves to 15-2 overall and 8-1 in the SCIAC with the win.

Sophomore setter Dani Kritter (Culpepper, Va. - pictured, photo by Mike Galvez) had a solid match with 24 assists and four block assists for the Sagehens, while sophomore outside hitter Ellen Yamasaki (Salinas, Calif.) had a match-high 13 kills, tying her with La Verne's Randi Taylor-Toomay.

Pomona-Pitzer led 23-22 in the first game and appeared to take a 24-22 lead, but were called for a block error to knot the score. After the teams exchanged points, Kayla Cribbs and Catie Logan had back-to-back kills to end the first game at 26-24.

La Verne had an easier time in the second game, winning 25-13 as the Sagehens had 10 hitting errors, but Pomona-Pitzer regrouped and jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third game. The Sagehens led 22-17 late in the third, but the Leopards fought off a game point at 24-23 on a kill from Brittany Yaxley. A Logan kill gave La Verne match point, and a short serve from Suarez went just over the net and in between the dives of two Sagehens to clinch the win.

Yaxley had 12 kills and Cribbs added 11 for La Verne, while Kendall Kraiss had 41 assists. Morgan Donohue for La Verne and Nicole Bauthier for Pomona-Pitzer tied for match-high honors with 15 digs.

Pomona-Pitzer will be back in action tomorrow when it travels to Whittier for a 6 p.m. contest.