(SAN DIEGO) PLNU Volleyball sent out its seniors in style, defeating Azusa Pacific in four sets (26-24, 23-25, 25-21, 25-16) to finish the regular season tied-for-second in the PacWest Conference.
 
Point Loma (20-8 overall, 15-5 PacWest) reached the 20-win mark for the first time since 2015, while its second-placed conference finish is PLNU's best in a full season during Head Coach Jonathan Scott's nine years at the helm.
 
"It's always a battle regardless of the circumstances," Scott said of the matchup with APU. "Point Loma and APU is always going to be something fun. Both teams played hard."


 
The first three sets were about as close as can be, with the two teams splitting the first two stanzas before APU held a 21-20 lead in the third. From there, three-straight Abigail Nua kills helped PLNU score the final five points of the set and take a commanding two-set-to-none lead.
 
The Cougars then threatened to force a deciding fifth set, leading 7-4 early in the fourth. However, the Sea Lions went on a 9-0 run to run away with the set before Jordyn Moriarty's ace clinched the match for PLNU.
 
"We just kept going, trying to focus on the next point," Scott said. "Sometimes it can turn into some momentum."
 
Nua tallied a 20-20 match with 27 kills and 20 digs. Anna Massari pitched in 11 kills and six blocks, while Lauren Phillips dished out 55 assists. Program career-dig record holder Courtney Dyer finished with 18 digs.
 
Before the match, PLNU Volleyball honored Dyer and Alexis Soncrant as part of Senior Day.
 
"I'm glad it's just two of them because I don't think I could handle it if it were more than that," Scott said of the Sea Lion seniors. "They've contributed on the court like crazy. They've both battled through different injuries with amazing grace.
 
"They reflect God's joy daily and the leadership that this team has to somehow replace next year, that's going to be a daunting challenge. They're about as good of people as you can be."
 
Soncrant and Dyer spoke highly of their time as a Sea Lion.
 
"Loma is a special place," Soncrant said. "I couldn't have ended up a better program with better people around me. That's the key thing I'll take with me are the relationships and the people that I've met. Any volleyball game, any practice, any win or loss, it's the people. They are relationships that'll last forever."
 
Dyer added: "We're walking away with a lot of fellowship. That's the biggest thing of what Loma cultivates here and especially in our program. That was really fun to be a part of."