LA VERNE, Ca. – The Sagehens started the day with a 3-0 win against Pacific Lutheran with Paige Wilson leading the attack with 15 kills in the match, swinging .412. Chloe Kerstein and Grace Fan also added to the attack with six kills each, swinging .545 and .600, respectively. Lauren Asato recorded 19 digs in the contest while Kylie Mies chimed in for eight digs and 19 assists. 

Game One – Pomona-Pitzer 3, Pacific Lutheran 0

Pomona-Pitzer started the first set on top, taking a 2-0 lead after two errors on the Lutes before pushing to a 7-3 lead with kills from Kellan Hayes, and Paige Wilson. The attack didn't stop there as the Sagehens picked up kills from Hayes, Wilson, and Grace Fan on their way to an 11-5 lead that forced a timeout from Pacific Lutheran. Out of the attack the Lutes recorded three-straight points, but Pomona-Pitzer wasn't fazed. The Sagehens responded with kills from Fan and Chloe Gill, taking a 16-8 lead. The Lutes tried to claw their way back into the set, pulling within six points at 21-15 but Pomona-Pitzer charge forward with kills from Paige Wilson and Cameron Hodges to end the set 25-17.

Set two played out much tighter as the two teams traded the lead six times before Pomona-Pitzer was able to take a three point lead after a kill from Grace Fan, setting the score at 12-9. The Sagehens and Lutes traded blows again, but this time Pomona-Pitzer was able to hold onto their lead as Paige Wilson, Chloe Kerstein, and Laurel Park all recorded kills to take a 20-15 lead. The attack forced a timeout from the Lutes, but it didn't slow down the Sagehens as they recorded four-straight points out of the break with two errors on the Lutes and kills from Wilson and Hayes to take a 24-15 lead. Pacific Lutheran answered with three kills, but Paige Wilson ended things with her 10th kill of the day to give Pomona-Pitzer a 2-0 lead with the 25-18 set victory. 

The Sagehens wasted no time in the third set, starting off with a 9-3 run with kills from Grace Fan, Kellan Hayes, Chloe Kerstein, Paige Wilson, and Adrienne Tong to take early control of the set. The Lutes came back with two kills of their own to make it 10-5 but Pomona-Pitzer's attack wouldn't slow down, seeing kills from Fan, Wilson, Kerstein, and Hayes en route to a 19-10 lead that forced a Pacific Lutheran timeout. The break proved effective as the Lutes recorded a kill right out of the break but the attack wouldn't last long as they recorded an attack error to make it 20-11 in favor of the Sagehens. Chloe Kerstein then recorded two service aces to advance Pomona-Pitzer's lead to 23-11. Capping off the contest was Paige Wilson who recorded her 14th and 15th kills of the game to give Pomona-Pitzer the 25-13 win. 

Game Two – UC Santa Cruz 3, Pomona-Pitzer 1

The Sagehens started set one on a 9-1 run before the Banana Slugs pulled within five after a brief offensive burst to make it 12-7. Pomona-Pitzer's Chloe Gill and Naomi Chen-Mallouk continued to attack while UC Santa Cruz recorded numerous errors, giving the Sagehens a 19-12 lead. UC Santa Crus went on a short 3-1 run that forced a Sagehens timeout with their lead cut to 20-15. Out of the break, the Banana Slugs continued to pressure Pomona-Pitzer, working their way within two at 23-21 in favor of the Sagehens. Chloe Gill chimed in with a kill to make it 24-21 but UC Santa Cruz responded with two kills of their own to force Pomona-Pitzer to take a timeout with their lead cut to one at 24-23. Out of the break, Laurel Park came through with the kill, ending the set 25-23 to give the Sagehens a 1-0 lead over UC Santa Cruz.

Pomona-Pitzer came out strong in set two, starting off with an 8-2 run but the Banana Slugs came firing back, evening the game at 8-8 with a 6-0 run. Chloe Gill and Paige Wilson each recorded a kill to take a 10-8 lead, but UC Santa Cruz continued to press, working their way to a 16-13 lead of their own. Pomona-Pitzer responded with a 6-0 run to take a 19-16 lead but again, the Banana Slugs battled back, utilizing an 8-0 run to take a 24-19 lead. Chloe Gill tallied two more kills along with an error on the Banana Slugs, forcing UC Santa Cruz to call a timeout with to Pomona-Pitzer trailing 24-22. Out of the break, UC Santa Cruz recorded back-to-back attack errors, tying the game at 24-24. An attack error on the Sagehens would make it 25-24 in favor of the Banana Slugs but Chloe Gill came through with a kill to even things at 25-25. The battle at the net continued with UC Santa Cruz taking a 26-25 lead but Gill tied the set once more with another kill. UC Santa Cruz then recorded two kills to take the set 28-26 and even things at 1-1.

After starting set three down 4-1, the Sagehens were able to battle back into the set with kills from Chloe Gill, Naomi Chen-Mallouk, and Grace Fan to tie the game at 7-7. The Banana Slugs responded with an 8-3 run that forced Pomona-Pitzer to call a timeout, trailing 15-10. Out of the break, the Sagehens recorded three-straight points, but the Banana Slugs came right back, working to a 19-13 lead before another Sagehen timeout. Pomona-Pitzer followed the break with a 4-2 run but four-straight points from UC Santa Cruz would end the set 25-17 and give the Banana Slugs a 2-1 lead.

The Banana Slugs kept the momentum going in the fourth set, starting on a 3-1 run but the Sagehens used kills from Chloe Gill and Chloe Kerstein to bring Pomona-Pitzer within one at 5-4. UC Santa Cruz quickly responded, going on a 6-1 run to force a Sagehens timeout with an 11-5 lead. Right out of the timeout, Naomi Chen-Mallouk recorded her fourth kill of the game. The kill sparked Pomona-Pitzer's offense as Grace Fan and Chloe Gill chimed in with kills of their own to bring the Sagehens within three at 13-10. UC Santa Cruz quickly stopped push from Pomona-Pitzer, going on a 6-2 run to extend their lead to 19-12. The Sagehens went on a 4-1 run with kills from Chloe Kerstein, Grace Fan, and Gaby Harrison to pull within five at 20-16. Grace Fan would collect three more kills in the contest but a kill from the Banana Slugs would end the game 25-20 and give UC Santa Cruz the 3-1 victory.

Notably, Chloe Gill ended the game with 19 kills and 10 digs.

What's Up Next

The Sagehens are back in action tomorrow with games against Puget Sound and Whitworth at 11:00 am and 4:00 pm.