By Jacob Norling
September 28, 2024
 
(LA MIRADA, Calif.) In what may very well go down as one of the most memorable days in Westmont Athletics during the 2024-25 school year, the Westmont Volleyball team (6-5, 1-3 PacWest) did their part in a five-set reverse-sweep over the Biola Eagles (3-9, 1-3) in La Mirada.
 
Volleyball was the first Westmont team to get the job done on Saturday, before men's and women's soccer followed suit. At day's end, the volleyball team was one of three Warrior squads heading back up the freeway with smiles on their faces.
 
It did not look likely that Volleyball would be leaving La Mirada happy after the first two sets, when Biola followed up a 25-22 win with a 25-15 victory to start the day. Set three, however, began a different story. Following a 4-4 tie, an ace from Maddie Finnegan and a pair of kills from Sara Kruger highlighted a five-point run by the Warriors, giving them their first comfortable lead of the match at 9-4.
 
Then, after leading 13-11, two more kills from Finnegan bookended another six-point swing, stretching Westmont's advantage to 19-11. Moments later, a kill from Nariah Prescott made it 25-19 to officially force set four.
 
In the fourth, it was once again Finnegan's show, when two more kills from the star freshman pushed Westmont into double-figures at 10-6. For good measure, Finnegan added another kill to go along with two service aces as part of a four-point run to make it 18-9. Biola drew a bit closer as the set wore on, but at that point, the comeback was already in full swing as Westmont forced a fifth set with a 25-18 win.
 
Come the fifth, Westmont appeared unbothered. The Warriors scored the first four points of the set, which featured yet another kill from Finnegan to end the early rally. Moments later, Audrey Hyde collected a kill that led to the two teams switching sides. At that point the Warriors already led 8-3.
 
A kill from Krueger pushed Westmont to the brink at 14-10, but after a pair of points made it 14-12, McGolpin called one final timeout to draw it up. The final play saw Finnegan pass to Alexa Shiner, and Shiner serve one on a tee to Krueger.
 
"I knew I wanted that kill," began Krueger, "and I knew I was going to get it done."
 
Got it done, she did, when Krueger blasted a ball onto the Biola gym floor before being swarmed by her teammates in celebration. From down to 2-0, to celebrating on their old rivals' floor, the Warriors came away with the reverse sweep to win it 3-2.
 
When asked what she was most proud of from the match, Finnegan said, "The way we all came together. That would have been a really easy one to let go of in the third set, but with this team, it's easy to want to get motivated and play for each other."
 
Kruger, asked the same question of what made her most proud, simply answered, "Maddie."
 
Krueger would likely not be alone in that answer, after Finnegan led all players with 18 kills while hitting .359. Krueger would also be a fair answer to the question, as the senior ended the night with an even 10 kills and an attack percentage of .529.
 
"A reverse-sweep is very difficult," reminded Westmont head coach Ruth McGolpin. "We fought with grit, we fought with heart, and we fought with toughness. I kept saying the wins will come, and sure enough, we got one."
 
"We had some great performances from Maddie Finnegan and Sara Krueger," acknowledged McGolpin. "Taylor had a strong match on the attacking as well, and then there was an incredible performance by Rylee Elias stepping in as libero."
 
Finnegan also led the Warriors with 13 digs, while Elias contributed with nine of her own. For Westmont's setters, Ella Hosfeld collected 29 assists, while Alexa Shiner added in 23 of her own.
 
Westmont returns to competition on Thursday at 6:00 p.m., when they take on Concordia in Irvine.