By Tim Heiduk
September 17, 2019
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) The #17 Westmont volleyball team avoided a midweek, nonconference letdown against Westcliff on Tuesday, sweeping the battle of Warriors 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 25-23).
 
"One of my goals was to keep them under 15 points and to not call a timeout," said Westmont head coach Ruth McGolpin. "At least in two out of the three sets we did.
 
"What I was impressed with was after I got on them a little bit about being more mentally firm and making a push on points, they did just that. Those types of things go a long way for us. There was a lot of discussion about not giving our opponents anything and thankfully we got out of here in three."
 
After sweeping defending Golden State Athletic Conference champion #25 The Master's on Saturday in front of a raucous home crowd, it would have been easy for Westmont to overlook Westcliff, especially with two more GSAC matches to play this weekend. Instead, Westmont came out firing, cruising in the first two sets.
 
With the match seemingly destined to finish in three sets, Westcliff was determined in set three to extend the match and steal a set off the heavily favored home side. With the score tied 13-13, the visiting Warriors scored five straight points to take a surprising 18-13 lead.
 
Facing a five-point third set deficit and with a potential fourth set looming, McGolpin summoned Cassidy Rea from the bench. The senior opposite had yet to play in the match up to this point, as she has been battling an injury recently. Yet after a Lexi Malone kill, Rea immediately sparked a comeback, recording back-to-back kills to bring her team within two, 16-18.
 
"From my standpoint I don't necessarily know if it was her production, but rather the comfortability she brings," said McGolpin of the impact Rea had late in the third set. "She adds a little more comfortability to it. I do think Audrey Brown played fantastic. When she came off I told her, 'By no means is this your fault why you're being subbed out.'"
 
After a Westcliff timeout, Hali Galloway recorded back-to-back kills of her own to tie the set at 18 apiece. Another Malone kill and a Westcliff attacking error gave Westmont a 20-18 third set advantage.
 
"We got a few blocks and a few good digs," said McGolpin as to what helped her team rally off seven straight points to come back in the third set. "Our serving was tough, which got us on a run and got them out of system a little bit. We had some really tough swings and they had some good digs. But, the thing is we didn't back down. That was probably the biggest thing is that we didn't back down."
 
While facing match point down 21-24, Westcliff (6-7 overall) scored consecutive points to fight back to within one, but the home team sealed the game and the match with a Patty Kerman kill.
 
Galloway once again led the Warriors' attack, this time posting 12 kills with a .478 attack percentage. The junior outside hitter was named GSAC Attacker of the Week yesterday after her 11 kills and .455 attack percentage paced the Warriors against The Master's on Saturday.
 
"One of her goals was to win a couple of awards in the conference and so far she's on a good track," said McGolpin. "She's a fantastic athlete. We had her sister here, who signed already, for her official visit yesterday and today. That was pretty cool."
 
Westmont's head coach also credited the team's blocking and serving as key parts to the Warriors' win.
 
"The blocking got better as the game progressed," said McGolpin. "One of our goals was not to miss as many serves. We had five service errors, but at least that number is a little better when compared to our nine service aces and that's what we wanted."
 
Kerman, a junior opposite, led the team with five block assists, followed closely behind by freshmen middles Malone and Kendall Kenyon, who both had four. Junior libero Lauren Friis led the team with three service aces, while Galloway and sophomore setter Sydny Dunn each tallied two.
 
Junior outside hitter Brooklynn Cheney paced the Warriors' defense with 15 digs, followed by Friis' 13. Freshman setter Keelyn Kistner led the team with 24 assists, while Dunn added 15.
 
It was Westmont's second consecutive sweep and fifth of the year. The Warriors have now won 32 of their last 33 home matches dating back to the start of the 2016 season.
 
With the win, Westmont (13-2 overall, 3-0 GSAC) extended its winning streak to six. The Warriors will look to add to that streak this weekend at home against Life Pacific on Friday and Hope International on Saturday.
 
"Nothing is going to come easy for us," said McGolpin. "Two of the Life Pacific players we actively recruited here, one of their outsides and one of their defensive specialists. We always expect a defensive battle with them; they're good. Hope has one of the fieriest coaches in the conference who doesn't like to lose."