Volleyball opens SCIAC schedule with four-set win

ORANGE, Calif. – Four different players reached double digit kills as the Chapman University women's volleyball team opened its SCIAC schedule with a 26-24, 23-25, 25-21, 25-19 win over visiting Pomona-Pitzer. The Panthers had their best hitting percentage of the season in the four-set win.

Chapman hit .266 in the win – 50 points higher than any of their previous seven matches this season. Marly Johnson led the way in hitting .292 while tallying 12 kills. Julin Kenison led the Panthers with 15 kills on the night while hitting .262 and Leighton Gagnon had 13 kills with a .226 hitting percentage.

In her first career start, freshman Olivia Sampson hit .250 to tally 12 kills and give Chapman its fourth player in double figures. Sampson hit .500 in the fourth set with four kills, including the match-clinching swing. Kenison knocked down five of her kills in the fourth on just seven swings.

Chanel Sud and Angela Atis split the setting duties with Sud collecting 28 assists and Atis distributing 22 to go along with two kills. Cat Helgeson had 22 digs.

The Panthers saved their best play for the final set after taking a 2-1 lead. Chapman hit .412 in the set, making just three attacking errors early on. The fourth set was back and forth through the most of the set with the teams trading blows. The set was tied 14 times with five lead changes. With the set tied 15-15, Chapman scored three points in a row, capped by a solo block from Annika Ruud to force a Sagehen timeout.

After trading a few points, the Panthers went on another run to build a 23-18 lead. Sampson had two kills and a block before hitting the final point to hand the Panthers the SCIAC-opening win.

The story of the first three sets seemed to repeat with the Panther jumping out to a lead only to see the Sagehens close the gap late. In the second set, the Sagehens overcame a late 21-16 deficit. A four-point run, fueled by Chapman mishits, closed the gap to 21-19. A block from Grace Fan and Natalie Potter later tied the set at 23-23 before Isabelle Alduino served up an ace and Chapman's final attack went wide.

The Panthers were able to fend off the Sagehens late comeback in the first and third to grab the advantage.

Chapman remains at home on Friday to take on Whittier at 7 p.m.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

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