The NAIA No. 14-ranked Sea Lions were close to another upset over a second-ranked team this season, but the visiting California Baptist Lancers hung on for the 3-2 win Tuesday night in Golden Gym (25-16, 19-25, 25-20, 22-25, 15-7).
 
The last few weeks have been up and down ones for the Sea Lions. They have shown they can play with anyone as proved by a triumph over then No. 2-ranked Concordia and by taking CBU to five. But they also have shown inconstancy, losing to lower-ranked squads Vanguard and Biola.
 
 “Any given day we could have won, it's just a matter of being more consistent and being better,” said PLNU coach Rochelle Short.  “We're more consistent now than at the beginning of the season, but we aren't there just yet.”
 
Sea Lions drop to 16-7 overall, 6-7 in GSAC play while the second-ranked Lancers improved to 21-2, 11-2 GSAC.
 
CBU jumped out to an 8-2 advantage in Tuesday's opening set and never looked back, winning by nine. It seemed like it might be one of those nights for the Sea Lions.  Early on the second set looked to belong to the Lancers as well after they claimed five of the first six points. But the Sea Lions went on an 8-3 run to take a 9-8 lead.  Following three more ties, PLNU would pull away and to go up by three points, 17-14.
 
PLNU stretched their lead to five, thanks in part to Lancer errors, before CBU closed the gap to three (20-17). A winner from Karliegh Kaczmarek, a kill from Tabitha Henken and two more California Baptist errors put the Sea Lions a point away from taking the second. Stacie Redmond then put one on the floor to even the match at a set apiece.
 
Set three started at the same as the first two; the Lancers were ahead 12-8 before PLNU rallied and evened the score at 16-16. CBU's Melina Adelin slammed a winner to put the Lancers back on top, this time for good.
 
The Sea Lions evened the match at two-each with a tough 25-21 win. Though PLNU once again trailed early, the Green and Gold stopped a five-point CBU rally with a four-point run of their own to move ahead by one. A Sea Lion service error – they would plague both teams all night – tied the score at 8-8.  However, PLNU slowly grabbed the momentum and claimed the set thanks to part seven kills by Henken.
 
California Baptist took the fifth set and the match. The Lancers were too much for PLNU at the net, sending five blocks to the hardwood, three by Bree Rauschenbach who totaled seven for the night. PLNU made six hitting errors as well in the fifth.
 
The Sea Lions stayed with the Lancers all night despite being out hit .297 to .158 and out blocked 13 to two. In addition, PLNU made 30 hitting errors and had 12 service errors. CBU had their struggles serving as well, misfiring 13 times.
 
Maddie Dahms led PLNU in kills for the third match in a row, slamming 21 winners on 41 swings (.415).  Henken added 16 kills and 13 digs with Kaczmarek contributing nine kills. Kylie Morel dished out 49 assists and had 20 digs. Nicole Eiler and Ashley Romberg had 15 and 14 kills, respectively.
 
Three Lancers reached double-figure kills, led by 19 from Shi Fei. Fei also had 12 digs and three total blocks. Ingrid Carmona and Noelle Dyk each had 10 kills with Krista Hasemeyer and Danielle Sargant with 25 assists apiece.
 
Though they didn't come out on top, Short is encouraged with her team's play Tuesday night.

“It's defiantly an improvement over the last couple games,” she said. ”It's always good to have to step up and play better teams.”
 
The Sea Lions will be on the road for their next match, a Saturday afternoon affair at Azusa Pacific. The fifth-ranked Cougars beat PLNU 3-2  earlier in the season.