PLNU Athletics

(ELLENSBURG, Wash.) No. 4 PLNU Volleyball rolled to a three-set sweep (25-17, 25-19, 25-17) of No. 20 Western Washington in the Sea Lions' season opener on Thursday evening at the CWU Tournament.
 
With its highest ever preseason ranking in program history, Point Loma looked the part in its inaugural match of the 2026 season, hitting .311 while limiting WWU to a .155 attacking %.
 
The Sea Lions came out swinging, scoring the first four points of the opening set with back-to-back kills from Hailey Clark and a service ace from Sophia Baugh putting PLNU up 4-0. Point Loma led by no fewer than two the rest of the first stanza, with Ila Rose's ace later capping off a 5-0 stretch to give the Sea Lions their largest lead of the set at 18-10.
 
Point Loma jumped out to an even bigger lead in the second stanza, 6-0, on Rose's serve with consecutive kills from Kyra Miles fueling the Sea Lions' strong start to the second set. Gianna Callari then closed out the second with a kill to put PLNU ahead 2-0 in the match.
 
After WWU responded with a 6-1 advantage in the third set, Point Loma answered back with runs of 7-0 and 6-0 in what proved to be the final stanza, as the Sea Lions clinched the sweep after a Vikings' service error.
 

The Sea Lions start the season off with a W in Washington!#GoSeaLions pic.twitter.com/YVFMrbyJv9

— PLNU Sea Lions (@PLNUSeaLions) August 28, 2026

 
Callari (12 kills) and Rose (11 kills) led the offense in their collegiate debuts, while graduate transfer Kaitlyn Cabral (10 kills, 14 digs) posted a double-double in her first match as a Sea Lion.
 
Miles (8 kills) hit an efficient .444 without a single attacking error, while senior setter Sophia Baugh dished out 36 assists.
 
Defensively, Kira Federico matched Cabral's dig total with 14, with Hailey Wilson providing an additional 12 digs.
 
Point Loma (1-0 overall) next plays tournament hosts RV Central Washington on Friday at 6:30 p.m.