By Jacob Norling
September 8, 2023
 
(ROHNERT PARK, Calif.) Westmont Volleyball was back at it with a doubleheader on Friday, when they clashed with CSU Dominguez Hills and CSU Monterey Bay in Rohnert Park. The Warriors took a 2-1 lead over the Toros in the first match of the day, but after forcing a fifth set, Dominguez Hills prevailed for a five-set win. Later, a thrilling five-set match with CSU Monterey Bay went Westmont's way for the second week in a row, allowing Westmont to leave the day with a split.
 
"Two five-set matches in one day is very tough," said Westmont head coach Ruth McGolpin. "It's tough mentally, it's tough physically, and it's tough emotionally. To get through the first match and find a way to come back in the second says a lot about this group."
 
In the first match Jessie Terlizzi led the Warriors with 13 kills, while Phoebe Minch added 12 and Sara Krueger added 11. Also offensively, Ella Hosfeld and Alexa Shiner each recorded 24 assists, while stellar serving from Malia De Jesus allowed her to tally a trio of service aces.
 
Defensively, Kaili Hashimoto led the Warriors with 15 digs, while Taylor Distelberg recorded a team-high five blocks.
 
Dominguez Hills got on the board in the first set after following up a 13-11 deficit with a 14-6 run to end the game. Following the convincing 25-19 win for the Toros, the Warriors flipped the script to win a pair of convincing sets consecutively.
 
Westmont fell down 6-0 immediately in set two, but following a McGolpin timeout the Warriors began to claw back, eventually using a six-point run to take a 16-15 lead. Later, following a 19-18 deficit, the Warriors scored seven of the set's final eight points to even the match with a 25-20 win.
 
The Warriors carried the momentum into a fourth set in which they never trailed, pulling away for good with a six-point run to put the team up 20-11. After a late surge for the Toros the Warriors hung on to win 25-20, putting Westmont up 2-1 going into the fourth set.
 
In the fourth set Westmont into trouble quickly following a 10-5 opening run for Dominguez Hills. A kill from Distelberg stopped the bleeding for a moment, but the Toros followed up the kill with a six-point run of their own to break it wide open for a 16-6 advantage. The Warriors refused to go quietly, coming within inches of tying the set at 21, but instead, the Toros utilized one final four-point swing to win the set 25-20.
 
In the fifth and final set, the two sides traded the first 16 points to an 8-8 tie, but then, the Toros took advantage of four Westmont attacking errors to take a 13-8 lead. Moments later, the Toros' Teagan Irish collected a game-ending and match ending kill, securing the 3-2 victory with a 15-9 win in the final set.
 
In the nightcap the Warriors went toe-to-toe with the CSU Monterey Bay Otters for the second week in a row. After Westmont defeated Monterey Bay in five sets last Saturday, the Otters came at the Warriors with a vengeance to open Friday's match.
 
After a 4-4 tie to open the night, Monterey Bay took full control as they steamrolled their way to an 11-1 run and a 15-5 lead. The Warriors got back within seven as the set wore on, but never closer, as the Otters took the first set by a score of 25-16.
 
In similar fashion the Warriors went on an 11-5 run to open the second set, which was highlighted by a pair of kills from Minch. The Warriors stretched their lead to 16-9 at one point, but McGolpin was forced to call timeout twice as Monterey Bay climbed back to make it just a two-point deficit at 17-15.
 
One more Otter kill followed Westmont's final timeout, but after allowing Monterey Bay to get within one, kills by Terlizzi and Distelberg highlighted a 6-2 run that put Westmont up 23-18. Finally, a kill from Nariah Prescott gave Westmont a 25-19 set win to even the match 1-1.
 
The third set proved to be the most memorable of the young season, with the two sides trading 48 points to a 24-24 tie. Whereas one might consider so much as a 26-24 finish 'thrilling', the Otters and the Warriors provided an outcome far beyond the usual circumstances. Neither side won consecutive points until the Warriors trailed 29-28, and then, a kill from Distelberg and Dennick gave Westmont a 30-29 advantage. However, an Otter's kill tied the set at 30, and the beat went on.
 
Finally, after a 33-33 tie, a kill from Distelberg gave Westmont a one-point advantage, and an ace from Hosfeld gave the Warriors a memorable 35-33 third-set victory.
 
"We ran out of subs in set three," explained McGolpin, "and Malia de Jesus ended up playing front row. Our volleyball IQ was off the charts to be able to run a 5-1, with one hitter in, and find a way to win."
 
Monterey Bay bounced back to force a fifth set with a 25-20 win in the fourth, but come set five, the Warriors were poised to best the Otters in five again.
 
A pair of kills from Minch highlighted a 7-1 run to open the fifth set, and a kill by Alexis Dennick moments later made it 11-3. In the end, another ace from Hosfeld put the finishing touches on a dominant 15-6 set victory, and a 3-2 match win.
 
"I think we have a new out-of-conference rival," declared McGolpin. "Our volleyball IQ outpaced our opponent's tonight, and our grit did as well. It was a heated game, back and forth, and it's going to be like that no doubt in the future when we play them. Grit was the name of the game tonight."
 
Individually, Minch led the Warriors with 16 kills, while Hosfeld led the Warriors with 31 assists. Defensively, Minch and Hashimoto led the club with 10 digs, while Distelberg collected a team-high six blocks.
 
"All of our hitters were amazing," added McGolpin. "We needed to have our outsides hit like they did. Taylor and Lexi were unbelievable, and so was Sara Krueger. Nariah, with a .533, was a huge standout tonight.
 
"Our setters were placing the balls at the right place at the right time, and our defense was great. Kai and Malia dug a ton of balls during that game, and came up big at several points."
 
"I want to note, too," concluded McGolpin, "that Taylor Distelberg's work ethic is what leads us. The way she plays the game, that's the Westmont way."
 
Westmont plays two more in Rohnert Park on Saturday before returning to Murchison Gym next Thursday night.