AFTER SLOW START, SAGEHENS RALLY FOR KEY WIN OVER OCCIDENTAL

Los Angeles, Calif. – The Pomona-Pitzer Volleyball team won the final three games behind 25 kills from junior Allie Frappier (pictured) to take a 3-1 road win over Occidental in a pivotal match for SCIAC Postseason implications on Friday evening.

With the win, the Sagehens improve to 16-7 overall and 8-4 in the SCIAC, moving past Occidental (14-9, 8-5) and into fourth place in the conference standings with one week left in regular season. The top four teams qualify for the SCIAC Tournament, and there is currently tight four-way battle for the final three spots behind league-leading Cal Lutheran at 12-0 (Chapman 9-3, CMS 9-4, Pomona-Pitzer 8-4, Occidental 8-5).

The Sagehens got off to a sluggish start in the first game, falling 25-19 as Frappier was held to only two kills, well below her nation's leading average of 5.93 (second place is over a kill behind at 4.88). The game was tied 8-8 before Occidental went on a 4-0 run to take control, and Pomona-Pitzer was unable to come closer than three the rest of the way.

Frappier heated up quickly in the second game, registering 10 kills, including four in Pomona-Pitzer's first six points to stake the Sagehens to a 6-4 lead. Occidental surged in front 16-12, but the Sagehens answered with a timely 5-1 run to level the score at 17-17. Pomona-Pitzer then ended on a 4-0 run, turning a 22-21 deficit into a 25-22 win. Sophomore Michelle Schultz tied it 22-22 with a kill, junior Samantha Cahill and freshman Kelli Derrah broke the tie with a block, and Frappier added her 10th kill of the second game before an Occidental error ended it and leveled the match.

The third game swung the match Pomona-Pitzer's way, as Occidental had three set points but couldn't convert. The Tigers led 15-9 midway through, and the Sagehens rallied back but could not pull even until a block from junior Kirea Mazzolini and Derrah tied the score 24-24. Occidental had a block to take a 25-24 lead, but after a ball-handling error tied the score 25-25, Frappier had back-to-back kills to give Pomona-Pitzer a 27-25 win and a 2-1 lead.

The fourth game saw the Sagehens take control in the middle for the first time, as they jumped out to 7-1 and 12-8 leads. Occidental closed to 15-13 at one point, but a 5-0 run for Pomona-Pitzer with kills from four different players, helped push the score to 20-13. Occidental used a 5-0 run to get back within 22-19, but a Frappier kill stopped the momentum and after a block from Mazzolini and junior Ellen Yamasaki, Frappier finished it off with her 25th kill.

Frappier added 14 digs, while her 25 kills led the Sagehens, with Yamasaki contributing seven and Derrah six. Senior libero Beth Smilkstein had a team high 19 digs.

Pomona-Pitzer will be back in action tomorrow for another crucial SCIAC match at home against No. 23 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, beginning at 6 p.m. CMS lost in five (15-13 in the fifth) on Friday to No. 3 Cal Lutheran, its second home loss of the year, with Pomona-Pitzer handing the Athenas the other one (27-25, 26-24, 25-23) back on Oct. 1.