By Jacob Norling
September 26, 2024
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Volleyball (5-5, 0-3 PacWest) clawed back from a 2-0 deficit to force a fifth set against the Vanguard Lions (4-3, 1-2), but in the end, the rivalry was renewed in a five-set win for the road team in Santa Barbara. Westmont came close to taking control of the fifth and final set, leading the Lions early by a score of 5-2.
 
Moments later, however, a 7-2 run by the Lions turned the set on its ear, propelling Vanguard to a 9-7 lead in what felt like the blink of an eye. A resilient Westmont club reclaimed a lead at 11-10, but once again, a four-point surge from Vanguard quieted the home crowd. In the end, the ninth kill from Bailey Olbur sent the Lions on a happy ride down the freeway after leaving Murchison Gym with a 15-12 win in set five.
 
"We talk about how crucial certain points are in fifth sets," said Westmont head coach Ruth McGolpin, "and we got to three first, we got to five first. Then, we just had a string of errors and Vanguard came up with some big digs that inspired their team down the stretch.
 
"In the end, it was just too little, too late."
 
Set one appeared competitive until its final stretch, when the Warriors conceded the final six points of a set they trailed 19-18. After the 25-18 loss the Warriors held close with Vanguard again, but after pulling within a point at 14-13, the Lions ran off another four points in row to take control of an eventual 25-20 win.
 
"Set one got away from us," reflected McGolpin, "and then we tried a completely different lineup in set two. In set three, our middles finally figured out the attack, like Alexis Dennick, who was just crushing the ball."
 
Dennick, who led Westmont with 12 kills while hitting .500, put on a show in sets three and four as the Warriors fought to draw even. The third set, which belonged solely to the Warriors, ended with an emphatic block from Dennick to finish off a 25-14 win. In the fourth, Dennick collected a trio of late kills to help push Westmont towards a fifth set. Moments later, a service error from the Lions solidified a 25-20 win to push the match to five.
 
After Westmont led 11-10 in the fifth, however, a pair of kills bookended a four-point swing for the Lions to pull within a point of victory. Then came Olubr's final kill.
 
"We had our moments," said McGolpin, "but we've got to find a way to put the ball away. It can be tough on our setters in the big moments, with so many freshmen and young players around them. It's hard to put myself into Ella or Shiner's shoes, but tonight they stuck with it, and they made good choices. I thought they set really well."
 
Ella Hosfeld led Westmont with 24 assists, while Alexa Shiner added 19. Shiner, who had a string of very competitive serves, tallied a trio of aces. Freshman Rylee Elias led the Warriors with four aces, while both Shiner and Kaili Hashimoto led the team with 11 digs.
 
"We have to continue to stay steadfast," assured McGolpin. "The wins are going to come. I don't know when, but they are going to come. This team is staying together, and they are staying united. The wins will come."
 
Westmont's next chance will come on Saturday in La Mirada, when the Warriors take on the Biola Eagles at 3:00 p.m.