Box Score

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - With their backs against the wall and staring at a 0-2 deficit the Sea Lion volleyball team responded with one of its most impressive three-set stretches of the season to storm back against California Baptist and take the match in five sets 18-25, 20-25, 25-20, 25-21 and 15-12 on Wednesday, Oct. 29.
 
The Lancers (13-9, 9-5 PacWest) started the match on first hitting .314 in the first set and then made a late run in the second set to take a 2-0 lead. This is when the Sea Lions (14-9, 11-4 PacWest) started their comeback.
 
"We embraced that we were down and decided to go for in anyway," said PLNU head coach Jonathan Scott.
 
Point Loma fell behind then 5-1 in the third set but a timeout by Scott seemed to right the ship. PLNU would fight back with a 9-2 run which saw the Sea Lions turn a three points deficit into a 19-15 advantage. They would hold on for a 25-20 win.
 
Once again in the fourth set CBU jumped out to an early lead by scoring four of the first five points but PLNU responded and took the set 25-21 to force a decisive fifth set.
 
Facing not only the Lancers volleyball team but a raucous crowd the Sea Lions clawed their way to victory. After CBU got the first point PLNU won the next three to take a 3-1 lead on a kill by Bethany Mandon and a pair of mistakes by CBU and would never trail again trail. They fought off runs by the Lancers which cut their advantage to one points, but the Sea Lions would never relinquish the lead en route to winning the fifth set 15-12.
 
"CBU always has good support, and you can't help but enjoy that type of atmosphere," Scott said. "You can either take it as pressure of as an opportunity, and we decided to step up."
 
Heather Leavitt had a team-best 17 kills and added 14 digs for PLNU. Kelli LeClair continued her impressive comeback with a double-double of her own as she posted 13 kills and 13 digs. Mandon also chipped in with 11 kills, while Savannah Wedemeyer dished out 44 assists and Christin Fisher recorded a team-leading 26 digs.
 
Point Loma lost nearly every category in the box score but earned the most important one: the 'W' in win column. Michelle Waber led CBU with 19 kills.
 
 
This was a critical match in the Pacific West Conference standings. CBU entered the night just a half match back of PLNU but the Sea Lions' victory helped extend their lead for fourth place in the standings. The loss also comes on the heels of the Lancers being ranked (No. 10) in the NCAA Regional poll for the first time this season.