Volleyball falls to CMS in SCIAC Championship match

CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Chapman University women's volleyball team fell to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 13-25, 23-25, 17-25 in the SCIAC Championship match earlier this evening. The Panthers reached the Championship match for the second time in program history after posting an impressive 14-2 ledger in conference play.

Chapman kept pace with the Athenas in the beginning of the first set, staying within two points until CMS went on a five-point run to take a 14-9 lead. Junior Mavis Lui and sophomore Sophie Srivastava put down a couple of kills to keep the deficit at four points, but the Athenas answered with six straight points to take a double-digit lead.

A couple of service errors from both sides and a kill from CMS senior Phoebe Madsen gave the Athenas set point with an 11-point lead. Madsen and junior Melanie Moore but up a big block to take the first set 25-13.

CMS jumped out to a 2-0 lead to start of the second set, but the Panthers fired right back to tie the set. A kill from sophomore Erika Wiles gave Chapman a one-point lead, but the Athenas took it back on another Madsen/Moore block and a kill. The two sides traded point until CMS took a 14-10 lead on a big kill from junior Lucila Grinspan.

Chapman fought back to pull within one point on a Srivastava kill, but the Athenas answered swiftly to take another four-point lead. The Panthers pulled back within one point on kills from sophomore Jessi Lumsden, junior Mavis Lui and Wiles.

With CMS up 23-19, Wiles stepped up and put up two huge kills along with a CMS error to make the score 23-22. Grinspan scored the next point, bringing up set point for the Athenas. An attack error brought Chapman back within one, but a kill from sophomore Jackie Jones sealed the close 25-23 victory.

The two sides were neck-in-neck in the beginning of the third set until Chapman ran away on offense, creating a seven-point lead on five straight points. The Athenas didn't take long to answer, scoring eight straight points to take a 16-15 lead. Lui responded twice, putting down a kill the next two times CMS took the lead. The Athenas ended the match with an eight-point run to sweep Chapman and take home the SCIAC Tournament Championship title.

Lumsden led the Panthers with 10 kills on the night, adding 13 digs and a block in the effort. Wiles posted nine kills and Srivastava led the squad with 19 assists and 14 digs.

The Panthers wait for the NCAA selection show on Monday, Nov. 11 to see if they will receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

by Katie Bell
Sports Information Assistant

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