Panthers get back to .500 with another home victory
ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University women's volleyball team swept visiting Whittier College on Tuesday night, 25-10, 25-22, 29-27 at the Hutton Sports Center to climb back to the .500 mark overall. The Panthers have won five of their past seven matches to even their record at 10-10 in 2010.
The Panthers jumped out to a quick 10-1 lead in the first set. The attacking came from all directions from Chapman's side as five players totaled three or more kills in the opening set. Sophomore MB Kate Ferrin led the onslaught with four kills of her own. The lead was insurmountable as Chapman took the first set handily 25-10. Ferrin's 12 kills for the match were second most on the team.
The Poets did not go quietly as they challenged the Panthers every step of the way in the last two sets. It was Whittier that got out to the hot start with an 8-5 lead in the second set. Chapman fought its way back to tie the score 13-13. Three crucial kills in the middle of the set by freshman OH Mady Dahlstrom gave Chapman its biggest lead at 23-16. Dahlstrom's seven kills in the set were too much for Whittier as Chapman took the game 25-22.
Whittier set the tone for a difficult third set by starting fast with a 6-3 lead. Chapman quickly responded tying up the score at 7-7. The Panthers' four-point lead at 14-10 was the biggest by either team during the final set. However, Chapman was pushed to the brink later at 25-24 before Dalhstrom's match-high 16th kill eventually gave the Panthers a 28-27 advantage. That was all Chapman needed to close out the Poets 29-27 in the third and final set.
Senior S Kat Kowalski and freshman S Corrine Ostrovsky combined for 45 assists in the three sets for Chapman. Also, junior libero Alyssa Swatek led all players with a match-high 28 digs.
Tuesday night's victory is the second straight home win for Chapman after losing its first four in Orange. Chapman will look get over the .500 mark for the first time since Sept. 14 as the Panthers travel north this weekend for the Cal Lutheran tournament on Friday and Saturday.
by Robert Flicker
Sports Information Intern
Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/wvball/2010-11/files/wc-cu.htm