Women’s volleyball earns ninth sweep this season

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University women's volleyball team earned its ninth sweep of the season with a commanding 25-10, 25-15, 25-22 win over the visiting UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs (4-12). Freshman Jessi Lumsden led the Panthers (12-2) with 10 kills on a whopping .588 hitting percentage.

Chapman took an early lead off of Lumsden's first kill of the set and a service ace from senior Jessica Blum but the Banana Slugs scored four unanswered points to take what would be their only lead of the set. The Panthers answered right back by going on a 6-0 run to take a 9-4 lead.

A couple of consecutive kills from UC Santa Cruz brought the score to 10-7 but a couple of errors and a service ace from junior Karissa Davis extended the Panthers' lead. Chapman then control of the set, scoring eight unanswered points to make the score 22-8. The Banana Slugs would earn a couple more points to get in the double digits but the Panthers dominated to take the first set 25-10.

UC Santa Cruz kept up with Chapman for the first few points of the second set, but a 7-0 run by the Panthers put them up by nine points. The Banana Slugs fought back, scoring five unanswered points to bring the score to 16-12. Chapman went back on the offensive prowl for a 7-1 run that would end the set 25-15.

A couple of kills from Banana Slug sophomore Claire Okerlund gave UC Santa Cruz a 4-2 advantage early in the third set. Kills from Davis and freshman Sophie Srivastava helped the Panthers tie it up but the Banana Slugs took another lead on a kill from junior Alexandria Everett.

The two sides went back-and-forth, tying two more times before UC Santa Cruz took their final lead of the set. The Panthers then went on a 6-1 run to take a 20-15 lead. The Banana Slugs answered with a 5-1 run of their own to bring themselves within one point. A couple of errors on both sides brought the score to 24-22 in favor of Chapman but Lumsden ended the set and match with a forceful kill that UC Santa Cruz couldn't handle.

Lumsden also tallied nine digs and two block assists to go along with her 10 kills. Senior Lauren Friend and Srivastava both tallied eight kills on the night. Friend also recorded two solo blocks and a block assist while Srivastava had 14 assists and six digs. Davis tallied seven kills and 13 digs in the match, while Blum recorded 18 assists and seven digs. Senior Sara Utsugi led the squad with 13 digs.

The Panthers head back to Hutton Sports Center on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 7pm to continue SCIAC play against Pomona-Pitzer.

by Katie Bell
Sports Information Assistant

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