Thousand, Oaks, Calif. - The eight-ranked Cal Lutheran Volleyball team defeated Pomona-Pitzer 3-0 to remain tied for first in the loss column in the SCIAC on Tuesday evening.

Game scores were 25-16, 25-17 and 25-15 as Cal Lutheran improves to 17-4 overall and 8-1 in the SCIAC, pulling even with Chapman (8-1) a half-game behind La Verne (9-1) atop the league standings. Pomona-Pitzer falls to 8-11 overall and 3-8 in the SCIAC with the loss.

The Sagehens had their best chance to win in the second game as a kill from sophomore Ellen Yamasaki (Salinas, Calif.) gave Pomona-Pitzer an 8-7 lead. Cal Lutheran gradually built up a 19-14 lead, but sophomore Samantha Cahill (Vancouver, Wash. - pictured) had a kill and a block on successive points to pull the Sagehens within 21-16. However, the Regals rattled off a 5-0 run before a Yamasaki kill ended the drought, but Cal Lutheran earned the next point to seal the win.

The third game saw Cal Lutheran take control early with a 6-0 run, featuring three service aces, to take an 8-1 lead. Freshman Michelle Schultz (Chicago, Ill.), who returned after missing three straight matches with an injury, had a kill to stem the tide, but the Regals never allowed Pomona-Pitzer to sustain any momentum as they cruised to the 25-15 win.

Yamasaki finished with a team-high 10 kills for the Sagehens, while Schultz had six kills and only one error in 25 attempts. Senior libero Lauren Kim (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) led the Sagehens defensively with 20 digs, while sophomore setter Dani Kritter (Culpepper, Va.) had 20 assists and 12 digs. Allie Eason led Cal Lutheran with 17 kills and 14 digs.

The Sagehens will be back in action this Saturday for two home matches in the same day, facing Caltech at 11 a.m. and Occidental at 5 p.m.