CLAREMONT, Calif. — Pomona-Pitzer women's volleyball earned a five-set win (25-18, 25-22, 22-25, 18-25, 15-12) over Lake Forest College Friday to open the Pacific Coast Classic and 2025 campaign. 
 
Paige Mountanos led the Sagehens with 13 kills and 12 digs, while Samantha Grabb posted 12 kills, five blocks and a pair of digs. Anna Krebs also notched double-figures in kills with 10 to go with five digs. Corrina Benson had a team-best 31 digs to go with six assists and five service aces.
 
The Sagehens started the match with a 2-0 lead after cruising to set victories in each of the first two games. A Natalie Potter kill made it 14-9 Sagehens midway through the first, before a Grabb kill and Mountanos ace brought the score to 16-11. A pair of kills from Grabb and Krebs followed by a Benson ace then put Pomona-Pitzer up 19-12. Another kill from Mountanos and a pair of Lake Forest attack errors gave the Sagehens set one, 25-18.
 
Pomona-Pitzer had to fight from behind in the second set, trailing 16-13 midway through. But a 6-1 run capped by a Savanna Cespedes ace and Mountanos kill made it 19-17 Sagehens. Lake Forest came back to take a 21-20 lead, but it was all Pomona-Pitzer down the stretch. Tene Ariyo sealed the 25-22 set two win with a kill.
 
The Sagehens led 22-19 in set three but couldn't quite hold on, as Lake Forest scored the game's final six points to come back 2-1 in the match. Lake Forest then took set four, 25-18, to force a fifth set. 
 
Pomona-Pitzer battled to an 11-11 tie late in the fifth set. But three straight points off a trio of Lake Forest errors made it 14-11. Grabb sealed the match with a kill from Sophie Mies, as the Sagehens took the 3-2 win. 
 
The Sagehens will be back in action tomorrow with a pair of matches to close the Pacific Coast Classic. Pomona-Pitzer will first take on Buffalo State at 12:45 p.m. PT before hosting St. Olaf College at 3:30 p.m. PT.