Volleyball sweeps Pomona-Pitzer to advance to SCIAC Championship

ORANGE, Calif. – Just five days after getting swept, the Chapman University volleyball did the sweeping of Pomona-Pitzer in the SCIAC Semifinals. The Panthers went on the road to take down the second-seeded Sagehens 26-24, 25-16, 26-24.

Seniors Jessi Lumsden and Sophie Srivastava combined for 31 kills to lead the Panthers in the sweep with Srivastava adding five total blocks to her 15 kills and 17 assists. Lumsden had 12 digs with her 16 kills and junior Cat Helgeson added in 25 digs.

Srivastava led the way in first set with six of her kills. Chapman built a 12-7 lead early on behind a string of tough serves from sophomore Chanel Sud but saw it disappear at 13-13. The Panthers put together three points late with a pair of blocks and a Srivastava kill to go up 24-21 but the Sagehens responded to tie the match at 24-24. The next Sagehen serve missed wide and Srivastava put up a solo block to clinch the first set.

Chapman rode the momentum to an easy second set win but fell Pomona-Pitzer responded with their backs to the wall in the third. Chapman trailed 18-12 but closed the gap with another string of tough serves from Sud setting the tone. Chapman scored four points to make it 16-12 before the Sagehens were able to sideout on a kill from Chloe Gill.

The Panthers limited Gill to just six kills and a -.172 hitting percentage throughout the match.

The Panthers continued to close the gap and tied the set at 22-22 on an ace from senior Erika Wiles. Junior Leighton Gagnon followed with a kill to give Chapman the 23-22 advantage. The teams traded the next three points to knot the set at 24-24 before Lumsden slammed a cross court kill to set up the Panthers with match point. The Sagehens hit the next one out to complete the Chapman sweep and send the Panthers to the SCIAC Championship match on Saturday.

With CMS winning the other semifinal, the Championship match will be a rematch of the 2019 championship between the Athenas and Panthers. Match time is set for 4 p.m.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

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