(ANCHORAGE, Alaska) PLNU Women's Volleyball had seven match points in the fourth set of its final match of the Seawolf Invitational, but Emmanuel College (Ga.) saved each one before going on to defeat the Sea Lions in five sets (11-25, 27-25, 20-25, 32-20, 15-11) on Saturday.
The loss marked the second-straight heartbreaking five-set loss for Point Loma, who fell to tournament hosts Alaska Anchorage on Friday after winning the first two sets.
"We didn't accomplish what we came to do, but we did prove to the entire region that we are formidable," PLNU Head Coach
Jonathan Scott said. "We're not going to be taking anyone by surprise this season, and I'm excited to see how we respond at the Seaside Invitational."
Point Loma began its season with consecutive sweeps over Alaska Fairbanks and Pittsburg State, and on an eight-set winning streak overall. During that streak and in the back-to-back five-set defeats to conclude the tournament, the Sea Lions showed just what they're capable of.
Especially in Saturday's first set.
Consecutive
Torina Hommes kills sparked an immediate 4-0 PLNU run in the opening stanza before Point Loma's advantage was extended to double digits at 14-4. The Sea Lions hit .519 in the first set, their highest mark in a set this season, while only committing one error.
After steamrolling in the opening set, Point Loma led by as many as four in the second frame before holding set point at 24-23. Emmanuel scored the next two points before it was the Sea Lions' turn to prolong the set. But the Lions then won back-to-back points after that to even the match at one set apiece.
Emmanuel continued its momentum into the third, taking an immediate 3-0 lead, but PLNU responded with a 6-0 run that included a pair of
Abigail Nua kills and a trio of combined blocks from Hommes. The Lions quickly evened the match at 6-6 and 13-13, before four-straight Point Loma points helped PLNU re-take a set lead it would not relinquish.
Both teams then made miraculous comebacks in the fourth set. Trailing 8-14, the Sea Lions overturned that deficit to tie the set at 18 apiece. Then a 6-0 run, fueled by three
Grace Hicks kills, gave PLNU its first of ultimately seven match points in the set, leading 24-20.
Emmanuel responded with five-straight points to go ahead by one, before Point Loma earned three other match points in the set. Emmanuel saved each one and earned a couple more set points of its own.
Abigail Nua almost single-handedly kept PLNU in it with her kills scoring the team's final four points of the set, but Emmanuel was able to pull away and force a deciding fifth stanza.
The Sea Lions answered back in the fifth by taking multiple leads, the latest being 10-9 after Nua and Hommes combined for a block. But a 5-0 Emmanuel run put PLNU on the brink, with the Lions clinching the victory soon afterward.
Nua, who once again led PLNU with 22 kills, was named to the Seawolf Invitational All-Tournament Team. She led the Sea Lions in kills in every match, finishing the tournament with consecutive matches of 22 kills. She also added 14 digs and four blocks on Saturday.
Hommes pitched in with 18 kills, while Hicks (10 kills) also reached double digits in the category.
Lauren Phillips set a new career-high with 57 assists and
Courtney Dyer posted a season-high 31 digs.
Point Loma (2-2 overall) returns home to host the Seaside Invitational Thursday-Saturday. The tournament will feature 11 matches over three days, with PLNU taking part in four.
