REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Volleyball team was on the brink of winning their second match of 2022 Saturday afternoon only to see Caltech pull off an epic five-set comeback inside Currier Gym.
Redlands won the first two sets of the match, but was unable to hold on as the Beavers would come away with the 18-25, 25-27, 25-21, 25-21, 15-12 victory. The Bulldogs drop to 1-14, 1-10 SCIAC, while Caltech improves to 7-8, 4-6 SCIAC.
It was one of the best hitting performances of the season for the Maroon and Grey as they hit .197 with three players recording double digit kills. Paige Sugg (Federal Way, WA) was impressive putting up record numbers coming up just shy of a double double. She finished with a match high 20 kills along with nine digs and five service aces. Kiana Stradford (Mission Viejo, CA) was equally impressive finishing with a career high 19 kills on 35 attempts for a .457 hitting percentage. She also added five blocks (3 Solo/2 Assisted) and three service aces.
Avery Aminoff (Alexandria, VA) had a breakout performance in her first year with the Bulldogs finishing with 11 kills to go with five digs and two block assists. Freshmen duo Lyric Waterman (Aurora, CO) (24) and Ella Goettsche (Eastvale, CA) (20) combined for 44 assists, while Waterman added 14 digs and Goettsche another eight to go with a pair of aces.
Laural Pittman (Los Angeles, CA) put up some big numbers in the backrow adding a career high 20 digs and Katie Allbery (Spokane, WA) would chip in with five kills and four blocks (1 Solo/3 Assisted).
Redlands used a .419 hitting percentage in the first set to go out in front quickly. They led 7-2 behind four kills from Aminoff, Sugg, and Stradford. After that it was back and forth until three straight by UR at the 15-11 mark would open things up. CIT was able to cut the deficit to four at 19-15, but that's as close as they would get as six of the final nine points would go to the Bulldogs, including back to back kills from Bailey Hoblitzell (Elk Grove, CA) and Sugg that secured the go-ahead set.
In the second UR found themselves down 9-6 in the early stages, but found a way to get back into the frame with a 4-1 run thanks to a pair of attacking errors by the Beavers. Five unanswered by the Bulldogs swung the momentum mid-way through the set led by Goettsche who put together a nice serving run, while adding an ace and a kill. This put the Maroon and Grey on top 17-13. This advantage wouldn't hold though as CIT would rally winning seven of the next nine points to lead 20-19. Five points later the Bulldogs found themselves behind again at 23-21 and then 24-22, but were able to rally with Stradford connecting for a kill and Caltech providing an attacking error. Caltech gathered another set point off a kill, but again UR showed their resilience this time scoring the final three points with Stradford going back to back with kills and Sugg giving UR a 2-0 lead behind an ace.
Caltech swung the momentum in the third jumping out in front 8-5 and then 17-11 midway through. Redlands got back within three at 18-15 but four unanswered by CIT would give them a cushion they would not relinquish as they would keep their hopes alive.
This momentum carried over into the fourth with Caltech winning the first four points. A trio of kills from Aminoff, Sugg and Stradford got UR within one at 4-3 and that then led to a 6-1 run with an ace coming from Sugg and two strikes from Kylie Martin (Centennial, CO) and Stradford. This put the Bulldogs on top 10-8. They found themselves up at 12-11 as well, but that was the last time UR would lead as CIT would score seven of the next nine points to go on top 18-14. Redlands attempted to get back into the match but each time they would pick up a point Caltech would have an answer and that's how it would go the rest of the way as the Beavers would level the match at 2-2, forcing a decisive fifth.
It was back and forth early in the fifth until Caltech rattled off three straight to lead 8-6. Waterman helped level the frame up with an ace, but again CIT had a response this time with back-to-back points that put them on top 10-8. Aminoff tried to keep UR in it with a kill but a 5-3 run by CIT would secure the come from behind victory on the road.
Redlands returns to the court next Tuesday, October 18 when they travel to take on Pomona-Pitzer beginning at 7:00pm.