(SAN DIEGO) PLNU Women's Volleyball continued its perfect start to the Seaside Invitational on Friday night, posting its second-straight sweep of the tournament, this time against Cal State San Marcos (25-18, 25-16, 25-20) inside Golden Gym.
 
The Sea Lions started fast in the opening set, hitting .355 as a team.
 
"When we're passing well, digging balls and keeping balls off the ground, our offense is pretty hard to stop at times," PLNU Head Coach Jonathan Scott said. "We really got into a groove for a little while."
 
The Sea Lions' offensive rhythm was highlighted with the connection from setter Lauren Phillips to outside hitter Torina Hommes, who buried five kills in the first set alone off Phillips assists.
 
"Lauren did such a good job spreading the offense tonight, spreading it out to the middles, to the right side and to me," Hommes said. "It really opened up the court and let us swing away on the big ones."
 
Hommes, who has tallied double-digit kills four times already this year, has formed a formidable one-two punch with fellow outside hitter Abigail Nua (12 kills). Nua has led the Sea Lions in kills in all six matches this season.
 
"We worked on this slightly creative lineup all spring and a big reason for it is Torina," Scott said. "We're trying to maximize her strengths and it's really starting to show."
 
After winning the first set by seven points, PLNU was even more dominant in the second, leading by as many as 10 points. The Sea Lions were able to showcase their depth in the second stanza, with setter Maggie Wolf (three assists) serving an ace immediately after coming on and Izzy Reisinger recording a block, helping Point Loma win the set by nine.
 
"We're incredibly deep in most positions and when we get back to full strength and health, we'll be deep in every position," Scott said. "That in of itself is a strength that we have. What I'm hoping our identity becomes is it really doesn't matter who's out there, that it's Point Loma volleyball regardless."
 
PLNU (4-2 overall) sealed the deal in the third set, with a Grace Hicks kill finishing off the team's second-straight sweep and fourth overall of the season.
 
"Our defense is really coming together and our offense is as well," Hommes said. "I think when we really get into a good rhythm, and as coach said when we're playing Point Loma volleyball, we can finish it in three. We know we have the ability and the tools for what it takes."
 
Along with Nua and Hommes, Claire Smith (seven kills) contributed offensively by leading the team with a .538 attack %. Phillips dished out 31 assists, while Courtney Dyer once again paced the Sea Lions in digs with 14. Nua also led the team with six blocks, with Phillips pitching in four.
 
Point Loma will look to finish the Seaside Invitational strong on Saturday with two matches, 12 p.m. versus Cal Poly Pomona and 5 p.m. against Simon Fraser (B.C.), in what are PLNU's final two non-conference matches before beginning PacWest Conference action next week.
 
The Sea Lions similarly opened up the Seawolf Invitational last weekend with two sweeps, before dropping their final two matches in heartbreaking five-set contests.
 
"The teams that we play tomorrow are no joke and we know that," Scott said. "They're going to hit us back and we just have to be able to take the punches and keep rolling with it. We were on and off last weekend with that, so I'm excited to see how we respond."