While competing in the talented Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC), the University of Redlands women's volleyball team continued its upward climb by producing its best conference record since 2010 with a 5-11 mark. The Bulldogs earned an overall record of 8-19 against a formidable slate of NCAA Division III foes that represented six states outside of California. In addition, the Maroon and Gray gained milestones in the form of solid statistical finishes and individual awards.
After a tough outing at the Pacific Coast Classic, Redlands bounced back by capturing a three-set sweep over the University of St. Katherine in its home opener. The Bulldogs put together late pushes in each of the first two sets and steamrolled the Firebirds in the third to take the victory. Overall, sophomore outside hitter Natalie Starlin (Las Vegas, NV) served as a dagger at the line, finishing with five aces on the night. The Maroon and Gray relied on a balanced attack, as sophomore outside hitter Taylor Degnan (Atascadero, CA) led the team with eight kills and senior right-side hitter Maloree Kupp (Sunnyside, WA) added seven. Junior middle blocker Hannah Lanyon (San Diego, CA) supplied five blocks in an impressive display.
Redlands then headed to the Swarthmore Invitational in Pennsylvania and battled Arcadia University (PA) to an exciting 3-2 victory to open the tournament. The Bulldogs rallied back from two sets down to eventually push the match to five sets. After earning a tight 26-24 win in the fourth, the Maroon and Gray prevailed in an epic fifth-set battle by a score of 17-15. Sophomore outside hitter Paige Davidson (Spanaway, WA) and Kupp each knocked down 14 kills, while junior setter Emily Marty (San Diego, CA) dished out 29 assists and sophomore Tati Luevano (San Pablo, CA) added another 20. Junior libero Ally Busch (Long Beach, CA) patrolled the back row with a 36-dig effort.
Unfortunately, the Bulldogs faced a significant skid to close out the month of September. Busch provided a bright spot that came during the five-set loss to Rowan University (NJ) by tallying a season-high 43 digs. She went on to finish the season ranked ninth among all NCAA Division III liberos with 6.28 digs per set. In addition, Davidson registered six service aces in the four-set loss to Chapman University on her way to the second-most in Redlands' single-season history at 60.
On October 1, Redlands used a 10-1 run to ultimately win the first set, 28-26, against Caltech. This established the momentum that carried it through the tight but efficient sweep of the Beavers. Davidson and senior outside hitter Christina Casey (Sherwood, OR) were money from the 10-foot line, as each recorded double-digit kills with 13 and 10, respectively.
The Maroon and Gray's victory over Caltech initiated four wins in five matches through the midway point of the month. The sole defeat of this stretch came in an epic, back-and-forth thriller against Pomona-Pitzer Colleges by scores of 22-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-21, 11-15. Lanyon fired off a match-high 19 kills at a clip of .516 while accounting for six of the team's 13 blocks. Senior middle blocker Sofia Olsson (Cupertino, CA) provided 10 kills in just her third match back from injury.
Redlands jumped back in the win column the next night when it downed Occidental College in three sets. While never trailing in the match, the Bulldogs finished the outing with a .250 hitting percentage for their second-best offensive effort of the season. Starlin paced the match with 10 kills to go along with a .368 hitting percentage.
The Bulldogs took a break from SCIAC action to host Mills College and secured their second-straight sweep. This one was dominating from the start, as Redlands cruised to a 25-8, 25-10, 25-12 victory, thanks in part to its best hitting performance of the year at a .333 clip. The Bulldogs also showed off their skills from the service line by knocking down 13 total aces. Davidson registered three, while seven other Bulldogs produced at least one ace in the win.
While earning its fourth win in five matches, Redlands displayed tenacity and heart in a five-set triumph over Whittier College on October 15. After the Bulldogs used a 6-0 run to take a five-point lead in the opening set, they worked to pull away from the Poets by using another six-point scoring spree en route to the 25-19 result. The teams battled through the subsequent sets, with Redlands orchestrating a 9-2 run in the fifth to steal the victory. Starlin led the offense with 19 kills, while Kupp found the floor on 14 put-aways. As a team, the Bulldogs earned 86 points in the match for their most of the season.
Amidst the final stretch of the season, the Bulldogs mustered two more three-set victories, topping both Caltech and Occidental in Currier Gym. Redlands' commitment extended beyond the court in its win over the Tigers, as the team raised funds for the Pink Ribbon Foundation.
Redlands also pushed UC Santa Cruz to four sets in non-conference action and competed in five sets against Pomona-Pitzer for the second time this season. Against the Banana Slugs, Marty dished out a season-high 34 assists, while Davidson impressed against the Sagehens with 18 kills, 17 digs, and two aces.
Following the conclusion of the season, Busch was named to the All-SCIAC First Team as the only libero among the nine-woman list. This marked the Bulldogs' first such honor since 2010 and the inaugural honoree under Head Coach Lisa Lindberg. Busch was a key component to the Bulldogs' defensive efforts, finishing the year with 584 digs to average 6.28 digs per set, which moves her to No. 5 on Redlands' single-season list for digs. She also ranks fourth for career digs with 1,230 in only three years so far.
Furthermore, Marty broke into the Bulldogs' top-10 list for career assists with 1,151 among her four seasons with the team.
The Redlands women's volleyball team remains steadfast in its commitment to remain competitive in a highly-touted conference and strives to build off this year's momentum. Despite the loss of a talented class of seniors, the Bulldogs look to the leadership and development of the returning core to set the tone for future success.