Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Senior outside hitter
Christine Douglas recorded a match-high 19 kills to help No. 4 Biola pull off a 25-22, 25-13, 25-16 sweep over Vanguard University in a GSAC match on Tuesday night at Chase Gymnasium.
The Eagles improve to 15-1 on the season with their 14th-straight win while improving to 2-0 in GSAC play. The Lions fall to 9-7 and to 1-1 in conference action.
Douglas helped pace the Biola attack while sophomore middle blocker Amy Weststeyn recorded nine kills and added three blocks. Freshman outside hitter Jocyln Kirton contributed seven kills in nine swings with no errors and also had three blocks in the match.
Biola progressively got better in each set against Vanguard, finishing with a .333 attack percentage including hitting .364 and .405 in the second and third sets, respectively. Both teams played fantastic defense, combining for 116 digs in the three-set match. Three different Biola players recorded 14 digs each: junior setter Gracee Gallarda, sophomore defensive specialist Charley Parker and sophomore libero Tara Rallis. Vanguard's libero Kelly Heenan had a match-high 22.
In the first set, Vanguard jumped out to a quick lead, using a three-point run to hold a 9-6 edge in the early going. Biola still trailed by two at 11-9 but took command with 7-1 run with Weststeyn recording a pair of kills over that stretch. The Lions came storming back with to tie the match at 17-17 with a quick 5-1 run, setting up a thrilling finish.
Biola broke a 19-19 tie with a kill by Chelsee Arnitz after a long rally, followed by a service ace by Parker to make it 21-19. After a timeout, the Eagles stretched the lead to three on a Vanguard attack error before the Lions again closed the gap with two quick points. Biola called a quick timeout and closed out the set with back-to-back kills from Amy Weststeyn and Christine Douglas.
In the second set, the Eagles took early control with a long 9-3 run and never looked back. Biola used an 8-1 run to extend the lead up to 19-8 and cruised to a 25-13 win.
Biola again fell behind early in the third set at 4-2, but three-straight kills from Nicolette Mather gave the Eagles the lead back. Douglas added another to make it 6-4 and slowly pulled away until they led 12-7. Vanguard would hang around and pulled back to within three at 17-14 later in the set. But Kirton helped Biola pull away again, recording a pair of kills and three kills over the final stretch as the Eagles outscored the Lions 8-2 the rest of the way.
The Eagles return to action on Saturday, traveling to Fullerton to take on Hope International in a GSAC contest at 7:00 pm at the Darling Pavilion.
