REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Volleyball team came within two points of taking the first set and another four points in the third against Chapman University Friday night, but was unable to pick up the win falling in straight sets 25-23, 25-11, 25-21.
Redlands continues to seek their first win of 2022 as they drop to 0-8, 0-4 SCIAC, while Chapman improves to 4-8, 2-3 SCIAC.
Much of the first set was back-and-forth between the Bulldogs and the Panthers, with nine ties and neither team leading by more than three points.
After trailing early in the first set, 9-6, the Bulldogs scored five of the next six points to go on top 11-10 swinging the momentum. During the run Bailey Hoblitzell (Elk Grove, CA) had a kill and Maddy Schonauer (Bakersfield, CA) tacked on a service ace.
The Panthers responded with a run of their own, as the lead turned into a one-point deficit. Much like earlier in the set, the Bulldogs responded quickly, this time winning four in a row behind a pair of kills from Paige Sugg (Federal Way, WA) and Kylie Martin (Centennial, CO), which forced a Chapman timeout with a 20-17 lead. Despite the great response, the Panthers would go on to win eight of the next eleven points to put UR in an early hole.
In set two the Bulldogs were never able to find their rhythm as they fell behind 5-1, and then 20-5. The Bulldogs were able to get going late, winning six of the final eleven points with kills from four different players, Schonauer, Katie Allbery (Spokane, WA), Avery Aminoff (Alexandria, VA), and Ella Goettsche (Eastvale, CA). But the run would come up short as CU would go in front 2-0.
Redlands fell behind to start the third, but they showed resilience and came back to take a 6-5 lead. Kiana Stradford (Mission Viejo, CA) had two kills and Sugg added one as well. After that it was back and forth with three ties occurring on three different occasions.
The difference in the set came with the Bulldogs down one at 10-9, when the Panthers scored four unanswered. Allbery and Martin would pick up another two kills to keep it a three-point margin and Stradford would spark three straight with a kill late to get UR within two. But five of the next eight points would go to Chapman despite the strong effort from Allbery with two kills and another from Aminoff down the stretch.
Despite losing the first set, Redlands out-hit the Panthers .114-.053. They also had fewer hitting errors in the third set, 9-6. Even though they were able to out-play the Panthers at times, they hurt themselves, committing 20 more total errors.
Sugg had seven kills, tying a game-high. Lyric Waterman (Aurora, CO) had 11 assists and three digs. Goettsche was just short of a double-double with nine assists and seven digs. Allbery had a great offensive-defensive evening with six kills and four block assists.
The Bulldogs have a quick turn around as they travel to Pasadena, CA to take on Caltech on Saturday, October 1 beginning at 2:00pm.
