Freshman middle blocker Flynn Salas-Miller spikes the ball against the Caltech Beavers Friday at Frantz Athletic Court. The crowd waved pink poms poms for La Verne’s annual Cancer Awareness Day, while the Leopards dammed the Beavers, 3-0. / photo by Michael Saakyan
Jennifer Jackson
Staff Writer
The volleyball team swept Caltech, 3-0, winning its 11th Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game and extending its winning streak to eight Friday at Frantz Athletic Court.
This game was in recognition of breast cancer awareness month and players wore pink headbands, hair bows and socks.
“Tonight’s game was fun,” head coach Jenna Panatier said. “It’s always a good idea to recognize breast cancer awareness.”
The team limited Caltech to only six kills for the entire game and had a hit average of .382.
The first set began with a kill by junior middle blocker Destinee Sales from sophomore setter Tiffany Mancuso.
With two service aces from sophomore middle blocker Kelsi Robinson and attack errors from Caltech, La Verne was able to take a gradual lead.
Junior outside hitter Brittany Yaxley had a perfect 7-for-7 in kills to lead the Leopards.
Sales and Robinson concluded the first set with kills, bringing the score to 25-6.
“A lot of energy was contributed to tonight’s win,” Yaxley said. “We all came together as a team.”
After being tied at 4 in the second set, freshman opposite hitter Kylie Cooke made a kill bringing the Leopards to a one-point lead, 5-4.
The Leopards then went on an 8-0 run to close the set.
In the third set, junior libero Monica Lopez served for 10 straight points, including four aces, for a 23-9 La Verne lead.
The Leopards closed out the match on a kill by Flynn Salas-Miller and an ace by Mancuso.
Mancuso concluded the third set with a service ace, bringing the final score to 25-10.
“I think we worked hard on our teamwork, it takes time,” Lopez said.
Cooke had a total of eight kills with an average hitting of .583.
The setter duo of Mancuso and senior Kailey Faust combined for 27 assists and five aces.
Senior outside hitter Nysa Allen contributed five kills and Sales had four.
The team also defeated Whittier, 25-19, 25-19 and 25-11 Tuesday at Graham Athletics Center.
The team is now 12-2 in SCIAC play and 20-3 overall.
The Leopards have also earned a national ranking for the first time since 2012.
The team comes in at No. 24 in the NCAA Division III Coaches Poll Tuesday.
The Leopards will travel to play the Sagehens Saturday at Pomona-Pitzer for their last game of the season.
Jennifer Jackson can be reached at jennifer.jackson2@laverne.edu.