Box Score COSTA MESA, Calif. --- Biola rallied from a big deficit in the fourth set to pull out a wild 25-17, 25-16, 30-32, 25-23 win over No. 21 Vanguard University in a GSAC match on Tuesday night in Costa Mesa.
The Eagles improve to 22-2 on the season and to 8-1 in GSAC play while the Lions drop to 15-10 and 5-4 in the conference.
Senior outside hitter Christine Douglas had a match-high 21 kills while sophomore middle blocker Amy Weststeyn--fresh off being named NAIA National Player of the Week for last week--recorded 13 kills and eight blocks for the Eagles.
The match started out with Biola easily cruising to wins in the first two sets. Biola broke a 12-12 tie with an 8-2 run to take control of the first set, then opened up the second set with a 9-1 run and cruised from there.
Things took a wild turn in the third set with a back-and-forth set for the ages. A total of 27 ties and four lead changes produced a crazy set which neither team led by more than two points in. The set was so close that if this had been the days before rally scoring, the score would have been 6-5 Vanguard when the set ended.
Biola had an advantage in the set by recording rare back-to-back points on a kills by Gracee Gallarda and Christine Douglas to take a 23-22 lead. After a timeout, the Lions responded with back-to-back kills to take set point--the first of eight. However, with the score tied at 30-30, Vanguard recorded a pair of points to take the match 32-30.
The momentum shifted after the hard-fought win and Vanguard jumped out to a 14-6 lead in the fourth set. The teams exchanged points for a while and the Lions looked to be in control with a 20-12 lead. However, Biola went to work and rattled off an impressive 13-3 run to take the match 25-23. Trailing 23-22, Biola got a kill by Amy Weststeyn to tie the score and set up match point on a Vanguard error. Weststeyn and Douglas then combined on a block to end it.
Freshman Joclyn Kirton recorded 12 kills and five blocks for Biola with Chelsee Arnitz adding 10 kills and two blocks. Gracee Gallarda had a season-high 55 assists and added 11 digs for her fourth double-double of the year and second against Vanguard.
Jessica Neves led the Lions with 17 kills and added 28 assists while Sarah McKinny added 10 kills.
Biola returns to action on Thursday with a home match against Hope International University at 7:00 p.m. The Eagles then welcome in No. 1 Texas-Brownsville on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. showdown at Chase Gymnasium.
