Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 By Jacob Norling
September 4, 2021
 
(BELLEUVUE, Neb.) #15 Westmont (5-5) dropped a pair of five-set matches on Saturday, losing their first match to #11 Central Methodist (8-0) and later on falling to Texas Wesleyan (2-4).
 
In the first match, Westmont pushed Central Methodist to five sets before dropping the match, and in the second, the Warriors squandered early opportunities and fell in five again to the Rams.
 
"The trip out was exactly what we wanted," said Westmont head coach Ruth McGolpin, "due to the fact that the competition was outstanding."
 
In the first match of the day, Westmont struggled early on to prevent Central Methodist from going on extensive runs. In the first set, the first Eagles run of the match, a 5-1 run, allowed them to take an 11-6 lead.
 
The Warriors were left to chase the Eagles, much like they did with Jamestown in the early match yesterday, and the early deficit was too much to overcome. While at one point the club got back within two at 19-17, the Eagles finished the set on a 6-2 run to win it 25-19.
 
In the second set, Westmont kept the game tied through 16 points. Then, three Eagles kills along with three Warrior attacking errors allowed Central Methodist to score seven unanswered points in route to winning a 25-18 win.
 
The Warriors flipped the script in set three. After going down 8-4, Westmont responded with their first extended run of the match, going on a 12-3 run to take a 16-11 lead, their biggest of the day to this point. The Eagles got back within two a few possessions later, but Westmont went on one final run to take the third set 25-18.
 
"We finally started to play with a little more poise," expressed McGolpin. "We definitely started to press on the gas pedal quite a bit, but we also knew to slow the game down. We were controlling our half of the court and that allowed us to get back in it."
 
In the fourth set, two clubs stayed neck-and-neck through the first 11 points. Then a 7-2 Eagles run that included four Warrior attacking errors gave Central Methodist an 18-13 lead with the finish line in sight.
 
However, the Warriors were not finished. Six consecutive kills by Jessie Terlizzi, Patty Kerman (2), Sara Krueger, Phoebe Minch and Addie Paul gave Westmont a 19-18 lead, sparking an offense that had intentions of playing five sets.
 
"The kills got us on the board," began McGolpin. "However what people might not notice is that Sydny Dunn was on the serving line the entire run. Her serving was unbelievable. She put them on the defensive side of the ball and we were finally able to spark the offense because of it."
 
Following a Central Methodist timeout, Westmont's lead grew to 22-20. Then, kills by Kerman, Taylor Distelberg, and Kerman again gave the Warriors their most thrilling set-victory of the season thus far.
 
In the fifth set, Westmont's luck ran out. Central Methodist got out to a quick 5-2 lead causing the Warriors to use a timeout in hopes of halting the momentum. Out of the timeout however, the run never truly came to an end and Central Methodist took the fifth set 15-5 to claim the match.
 
Minch, Terlizzi, and Kerman all collected double-digit kills during the match, with Minch recording a team-high 15.
 
"They just took it to us in the end," stated McGolpin. "Without pinpointing specifics, our decision making was not as keen as in the third and fourth sets."
 
In the second match, Westmont at one point had an 18-14 lead, but the Rams came back with a rally to tie the game at 19 all. With the score later knotted at 21, Texas Wesleyan threw a haymaker at Westmont, scoring four consecutive points to take the match 25-21.
 
In set three, the two sides refused to give the other any breathing room, and the game was eventually tied at 19. Westmont was first to get some wiggle room when they got a 22-19 lead, but the Rams rallied again to tie it at 23 on a kill by Skylar Warde.
 
After a marathon of a set, a kill by Kerman and a bad set by the Rams gave the Warriors a 32-30 win, and a 2-1 set advantage.
 
In the fourth set, Westmont went up 16-9 and appeared to be headed toward a set victory. Then, a nine-point run from Texas Wesleyan turned the game upside-down. Down 18-16 after a timeout, the Warriors had no answer for Rams late-rally, dropping the set 25-19.
 
"Going into a timeout we led 15-9," said McGolpin. "We had a chance to put that match away and just couldn't get it done."
 
In the fifth and final set, Westmont trailed by a point for a majority of the set, before tying the game at 10. Then, after another pair of Rams' points, Minch and Distelberg collected kills to tie things at 12, and make the sprint to 15 a photo finish.
 
Unfortunately for Westmont, an attacking error and two kills gave the Rams a 15-12 win, and left the Warriors with their second heartbreaker of the day.
 
"We made our fair share of mistakes," noted McGolpin. "At times we looked timid and that's never going to be the answer. We have to find a way to push through and win those games. It's going to take hard work from our players and also from the coaching staff and I to figure out what is going to get us over that hump."
 
Minch led the club with 21 kills while Kerman added 19. Dunn collected 60 assists in the match as the Warriors played in a 5-1 offense, and Minch also led the club with 22 digs.
 
"Phoebe was the best player on the floor this weekend," expressed McGolpin. "As a six-rotation player, Phoebe was the best player on every side of the ball. Syd was also outstanding in the 5-1, which was a big ask of her."
 
The club returns home on Wednesday when they host Westcliff at 7:00 p.m. in Murchison Gym. Tickets are available on the Westmont athletics website.
 
"We have one more tune-up before GSAC play," noted McGolpin. "Getting the opportunity to play in our home gym will be a good chance for us to take a step forward, as we get ready for Vanguard next weekend."