Claremont, Calif. - Junior Allie Frappier (pictured) extended her national lead in kills per set with 27 in a four-set win as the Pomona-Pitzer Volleyball team defeated La Verne 3-1 on Tuesday night at Voelkel Gymnasium.

With the win, the Sagehens improve to 13-6 overall and 6-3 in the SCIAC, entering a logjam of four teams tied for second place in the league. La Verne slips to 5-19 overall and 2-7 in the conference with the loss. Game scores were 25-23, 27-29, 25-22, 25-18.

Frappier entered the day with an average of 5.74 kills per set, almost a full kill more than second place Audrey Krajec of Millikin (4.83), and raised it to 5.81 with her 27 kills against the Leopards. She tallied seven in the first set, six in the second, eight in the third and six in the fourth to finish with a match-high 27.

The first game was tight the whole way, and freshman Kelli Derrah went down the line for the winning point to stake Pomona-Pitzer to a 1-0 lead. Each team fought off a pair of game points in the second game, before a Kelsi Robinson kill gave the Leopards a 29-27 win to level the match.

Derrah then had a tip kill tied 22-22 in the third game, and followed with a block assist, along with junior middle Kirea Mazzolini to make the score 24-22, before Frappier gave the Sagehens a 25-22 win and a 2-1 lead with her 21st kill of the match.

Frappier started the fourth game with three kills and two blocks (one solo, one assisted) for the first five Pomona-Pitzer points and the Sagehens were able to steadily build a 21-12 lead. La Verne put a 4-0 run together to creep closer, but an ace from freshman Elizabeth Sun ended it at 25-18.

Sophomore Michelle Schultz had nine kills for Pomona-Pitzer, while Derrah added eight. Pomona-Pitzer also had 13 blocks, led by seven by Mazzolini (one solo, six assists) and six assists from Ellen Yamasaki. Junior Dani Kritter had 27 assists and Sun added 24 for the Sagehens, while senior Beth Smilkstein led the defense with 17 digs.

Pomona-Pitzer will be back in action on Friday for a road match against Whittier, before hosting Rose-Hulman (12 noon) and No. 3 Cal Lutheran (6 p.m.) on Saturday.