The University of Redlands volleyball team competed in its second tournament of the young 2013 season, earning a 2-2 record against opponents from three different states. On Friday, the Bulldogs dispatched Schreiner University (TX) in straight sets and then fell to Linfield College (OR) in a close four-setter. Saturday saw Redlands come up short against Hendrix College (AR) but finished the Cal Lutheran Posada Royale Fall Invite on a high note with an exciting victory over George Fox University (OR) in four sets.
Against Schreiner, Redlands rolled to triumph by scores of 25-16, 25-18, and 25-21. Sophomore outside hitter Ashton Martin (Redlands, CA) put away eight kills en route to a .300 hitting performance. Junior libero Courtney Johnson (Dana Point, CA) and sophomore defensive specialist Karly Burningham (Sonoma, CA) solidified the Maroon and Gray defense, with 15 and 10 digs each. Senior outside hitter Morgan Buckner (San Rafael, CA) provided 14 digs and seven kills in a well-rounded effort. Senior setter Alisha Cornick (Hollister, CA) dished out 29 assists and scored on four aces.
Redlands' second match went four sets, with none of them being decided by more than five points. The Bulldogs came out firing and secured the first-set victory by a score of 25-21. However, Linfield responded and went on to win, 25-21, 25-21, and 25-23.
Spearheaded by Cornick with her 41 assists, the Bulldogs benefitted from a well-balanced offense. Buckner led the charge with 12 kills, while freshman right-side hitter Cassy Lematta (West Linn, OR) fired off a .350 hitting percentage with seven kills and no errors. Martin and freshman middle blocker Allison Jensen (Redlands, CA) each provided six kills in the loss. Defensively, the Bulldogs gained strong performances from Johnson with 23 digs, freshman defensive specialist Jazzy Kealoha (Honolulu, HI) with 13, and Cornick with 12.
Against Hendrix, the Bulldogs battled through a tough opening set but came out on the losing end of a 28-26 decision. The Warriors pulled away in the subsequent frames by scores of 25-21 and 25-13. Buckner supplied a double-double for the Maroon and Gray, notching 12 kills and 10 digs. Johnson provided a team-leading 19 digs, while Cornick distributed 38 assists. Martin and Jensen combined for 15 kills.
Finally, Redlands wrapped up the busy weekend with an exciting four-set win over George Fox. The Bulldogs prevailed in the opening two frames by scores of 25-21 and 25-18. However, the Bruins rallied back in the third for a 28-26 victory, forcing the match to a fourth set. Redlands pulled away and grabbed the important 25-19 triumph to bookend the tournament with its second win in two days.
While distributing 50 assists, Cornick connected with three players who knocked down double-digit kills. Buckner led the effort with her second double-double of the tournament, recording 17 kills and 14 digs. In addition, Martin recorded 12 kills at a clip of .330, while sophomore middle blocker Marisa Gile (Yucaipa, CA) put down 10 kills. Lematta also impressed with her solid hitting performance of .390, which came off of seven kills and no errors for the second time this weekend. Johnson and Kealoha combined for a solid defensive showing, earning 12 and 10 digs, respectively. Kealoha also stepped up with three aces.
Redlands (3-4) opens Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) competition with a 7:30 p.m. showdown at Whittier College on Tuesday.
