Box Score
LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Just when it looked like a blown lead in an overtime set may cost No. 5 Biola another match, Head Coach Aaron Seltzer's squad kicked it into high gear and dominated the final two sets to overcome a 2-1 deficit and defeat No. 3, and reigning NAIA Champions, Texas-Brownsville in five sets (19-25, 25-17, 24-26, 25-15, 15-7).
 
This is a historic moment for Biola Volleyball, being just the second time it has beaten this perennially great Texas-Brownsville program. It is the first time defeating them when they were the reigning national champions. The victory is sweet vengeance after UTB spoiled Biola's trip into the 2013 national tournament finals by sweeping them.
 
"I'm very proud of the girls. They stayed committed to the plan we had going into the match," said Seltzer. "I thought we needed to pass well, and we did. Also, our setters set all the right sets."
 
As has been customary all season long, Biola took a little while to start clicking on all cylinders. The first set saw its attackers hit a lot of balls right to UTB's defenders and saw a lot of flat-footedness from the Eagles' own back row. That resulted in a relatively smooth set win for Brownsville to start the contest.
 
The stutters would not last long though, as the Eagles' attack came out on a mission in set number two. They got off to a 3-0 set lead in the second and then utilized three more runs of at least three points to pull away for a dominant 25-17 showing.
 
Set two was Biola's best attacking set of the entire match. Its hitters combined to hit .357, converting exactly half of their attacks for kills.
 
Its outside hitters helped lead it through a Brownsville defense that had fantastic positioning all night long. Joclyn Kirton was the player who really stood out, accumulating 21 kills on the night while taking the second most swings of anyone in the match.
 
"Our outsides did a great job," said Seltzer. "I thought Alyssa blocked the snot out of the ball and Joclyn was huge. It was such a good team effort."
 
Biola's marquee trio of outside hitters, Kirton, Mason and Britta Blaser, combined for 39 kills and had their arms going all match long, taking 101 of the Eagles' 166 attack attempts.
 
Set three felt as if it was the most critical of the entire match, as it was the turning point to put one team in the driver's seat. All set long it appeared as if that team would be Biola, as it accumulated a 19-17 lead following a four-point run and seemed to be continuing is solid play it showed in set two.
 
However, Brownsville is the defending national champion because it knows how to play under pressure and get the ball to the right hitters at the right time to create opportunities for success. UTB earned five out of six points after Biola got a 23-21 lead and closed out a tight overtime set to take its 2-1 advantage.
 
"Our girls stayed physical and put the pressure on them, even after going down," said Seltzer. "That is a very, very good Brownsville team and I thought we kept up with them and finished great."
 
Biola made quick work of that solid UTB side in runaway fourth and fifth sets leading to its second upset victory over a top-3 team in its last three contests.
 
Tess Van Grouw and Alex Brehaut went toe-to-toe with Brownsville's phenomenal libero, Heather Meeuwsen, combing for 29 digs at libero and left back. The Eagles needed all the back row they could get with UTB taking 145 swings with just 19 attacking errors.
 
"Everyone played really well with each other, and it was very cohesive, which was awesome," said Alyssa Mason. "It was super encouraging. It was a bummer when we lost to them last season, so getting to seek revenge was exciting and will motivate us to do really well in the tournament this year."
 
Before they get to the tournament, the now 21-4 Eagles have the rest of their Golden State Athletic Conference slate to finish out. They face Vanguard, Arizona Christian, San Diego Christian, Westmont, William Jessup, Menlo and The Master's College over the course of the next four weeks.