(SAN DIEGO) Vanguard handed No. 2 PLNU Volleyball its first conference loss of the season, defeating the Sea Lions in four sets (16-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-17) on Wednesday night in Golden Gym.
Point Loma, which entered the day on an eight-match winning streak, held Vanguard to just .057 hitting in the opening set to take an early lead in the match.
But the Lions stormed back to take the next three sets and spoil PLNU's perfect start to PacWest play.
Hailey Clark led the Sea Lions with 11 kills, while
Saren Rogers and
Kyra Miles each had nine apiece.
Sophia Baugh dished out 37 assists and had a match-high four service aces. Her 14 digs led the team, while PacWest Defender of the Week
Macy Reynolds also reached double-digit digs (13).
Point Loma (21-3 overall, 9-1 PacWest), ranked No. 1 in the NCAA West Regional rankings released on Wednesday for the first time in program history, still controls its own destiny in the conference title race.
With a win in its penultimate match of the regular season against Jessup on Thursday in Golden Gym at 6 p.m., PLNU could still clinch at least a share of the PacWest title with a victory against Fresno Pacific (22-0, 10-0) on Saturday at 2 p.m.
The winner of that matchup would then earn the No. 1 seed in the PacWest Championships, to be held Nov. 20-21 in Honolulu.
Point Loma's No. 2 national ranking in the AVCA Coaches Poll is its highest in program history.
POSTMATCH INTERVIEW
