BOX SCORE

RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- Biola closed out the most difficult part of its first-half schedule with a tough 25-13, 23-25, 25-19, 25-15 loss at No. 3 California Baptist University in a GSAC match on Saturday night in Riverside.

The Eagles, ranked No. 18 in the latest NAIA National poll, fall to 11-6 on the season and 2-4 in GSAC play. Four of Biola's last five matches have come against teams ranked in the NAIA Top 10. The Lancers improve to 15-1 overall and 5-1 in the conference.

Freshman outside hitter Nicolette Mather led Biola with 11 kills while senior opposite hitter Meghan Cunningham added nine and two blocks.

The Lancers received a match-high 17 kills from senior Fei Shi and 16 each from Ingrid Carmona and Noelle Dyk.

Biola got off to a slow start in the first set as Cal Baptist came out firing. The Lancers opened with eight-straight points and led 18-7 midway through the set. Biola closed the gap a bit, but Cal Baptist slammed the door with a late run to win 25-13.

In the second, the Eagles settled down and played strong in what proved to be a back-and-forth affair. Biola opened up with a 4-1 lead and stretched it to five at 10-5. After a timeout, the Lancers rattled off five-straight points to tie the set at 10-10. Neither team was able to get a lead bigger than two the rest of the way.

Biola had a bit of an advantage at 22-20, but fell behind quickly after a three-point Lancer run. However, after an attack error tied the set at 23-23, Biola closed it out with back-to-back blocks. Cunningham and Tavea Hampton teamed up on a block of Shi to set up game point and Hampton and Mather combined on a block of Carmona to end the set.

California Baptist answered back with a strong performance in the third set to take back the lead. The Lancers broke open a close start with a long 14-8 run to take a 19-13 lead and cruised from there to a 25-19 win.

In the fourth set, Cal Baptist again broke open a tight start to the set and cruised to victory. With the score knotted at 8-8, the Lancers rattled off a 13-3 run including a string of six-straight points and never looked back.

Freshman setter Justine Schoneveld had 33 assists for the Eagles and added five kills in seven attack attempts.

Despite playing some tough opponents this season, Biola has managed to win at least one set in each of its six losses, including one each against the NAIA's top three teams.

Biola returns home for its next match, which should be a thriller as the Eagles host No. 25 Westmont College in a key GSAC matchup on Tuesday (Sept. 29) at 7:00 p.m.