By Ron Smith
August 24, 2017
 
(RIVERSIDE, Calif.) Westmont Volleyball, ranked at number seven in the country, took down a pair of Golden Eagles on Thursday at the La Sierra Tournament. No need to call the Audubon Society – these birds were of the mascot variety, belonging to #16 Cornerstone (Mich.) and the host institution, La Sierra.
 
In the first match, the Warriors posted a five-set victory over Cornerstone (Mich.), winning by set scores of 25-23, 25-16, 23-25, 23-25 and 15-11. The late-night match saw the Warriors win in straight sets by scores of 25-19, 25-19 and 25-12.
 
Junior right side hitter Samantha Neely led the way for the Warriors, tallying 21 kills while notching a .288 attack percentage. Junior middle blocker Libby Dahlberg added 18 kills and produced a .414 attack percentage. Sophomore right side hitter Cassidy Rea posted 11 kills. Freshmen outside hitters Hali Galloway and Brooklyn Cheney each contributed nine kills to the Warrior cause.
 
The first set was closely contested with neither team scoring more than two points in a row until Cornerstone produced a four-point run to tie the game at 21. A kill by Rea and an attack error by the Golden Eagles put the Warriors up 23-21. However, Cornerstone scored the next two points on a kill by Kenzie Engelsma and a Warrior attack error.
 
With the opening frame tied a 23, freshman setter Camryn Kaina set up Cheney with a kill that gave Westmont set point. Kaina then set Rea who put the ball on the floor to give the Warriors the win.
 
Westmont jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the second set on a pair of kills by Neely, a kill and an ace serve by Cheney and a kill by Dahlberg. Down 8-2, Cornerstone responded with a 7-2 run to pull within one point (10-9).
 
However, Westmont manufactured another a 6-1 run initiated by a block from Galloway and Mila Maricic. Cheney had two kills during the run while Maricic, Rea and Dahlberg each added one. Cornerstone would get no closer than five points the rest of the set.
 
The third set was again closely contest. With the score tied at 20, the Golden Eagles score on four of the next five rallies to gain set point at 24-21. An attack error by Cornerstone and a kill by Dahlberg pulled Westmont to within one (24-23), however Heather Carlson delivered the knock out kill for the Golden Eagles to make the match score two sets to one.
 
The fourth set was of the same ilk and once again the score was tied at 20. Like the third set, the Warriors gave up four of the next five points, then rebounded with a kill from Dahlberg and a Cornerstone attack error, Then, in a déjà vu moment, Carlson once again delivered the final blow. This time tying the match at two sets apiece.
 
In the decisive fifth set, Westmont jumped out to a 10-1 lead. Four of the Warrior's points came as the result of service aces – two by junior setter Amy Buffham and two by Cheney. The Golden Eagles committed three attack errors during the span while Neely, Galloway and Dahlberg added one kill each.
 
Despite the lop-sided score, the tenacious Golden Eagles refused to fly the coop. Cornerstone scored on nine of the next 12 rallies, drawing within three points (13-10). After a Warrior timeout, Cheney put down a ball set by Kaina to give Westmont match point at 14-10. Baily Cummings kept the Golden Eagles hopes alive with a kill, but Dahlberg pounded the ball down from the middle of the court to bring the match to an end.
 
Buffham tallied 34 assists and 10 digs for the Warriors. Kaina was credited with 26 assists and nine digs. Cheney led the team in both digs (34) and serve receptions (44 – no errors). Senior libero Lindsay Paulo tallied 22 serve receptions and 15 digs.
 
Against La Sierra, Galloway produced 10 kills to lead the Warriors while posing a .316 attack percentage.  Senior middle blocker Emma Harrah connected for seven kills and a .375 attack percentage and Neely added six.
 
Buffham recorded another 21 assists while Kaina collected 12. Paulo was good for 11 digs and nine serve receptions while Cheney tallied 20 server receptions and nine digs.
 
The Warriors are now 8-0 against La Sierra - winning four at home, two on neutral courts and two in the Golden Eagles home gym.
 
Tomorrow, Westmont will turn its attention from birds associated with national image to one of more a more mythical nature when they take on the Firebirds of Saint Katherine at noon.