Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola used a total team effort to complete its journey to a second-straight perfect 4-0 record at its own annual Summer Slam.
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The Eagles got contributions from all over in their Friday evening match, and worked their way to a relatively unobstructed 3-0 (25-23, 25-7, 25-14) victory over Bellevue.
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"Bellevue came out playing really hard. Their attackers were swinging away and the had a lot of confidence, making the first set a little tough for us," said Head Coach
Aaron Seltzer.
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Biola never did fall behind in the first set, but Bellevue was able to string together a few points off a service ace and a Biola attack error in the late stages of the set to make Seltzer and the Eagles sweat a bit.
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That sweat would very quickly evaporate following the second set, which resulted in a 25-7 advantage for Biola; the Eagles' largest win margin in a set so far in 2014.
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The set was not so much about a dominant performance for the Eagles as it was about a huge step back for the young Bellevue squad. The Bruins did themselves in with 11 attack errors and a service error in the frame. Their ability to muster up just five kills in the set is what sealed their fate and a 2-0 advantage for Biola.
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"Bellevue is a very young team, with 10 freshmen, a sophomore and two juniors," said Seltzer. "They are very young, but there is a bright future for them, because they have got some arms."
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Once the Eagles worked their way through the first set and cruised their way through the second, it was easy to see the greener pastures that followed a three-set sweep. Biola needed just 25 more points to secure a perfect record at the tournament and distance themselves as far as they possibly could from their loss in the season-opener.
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Those 25 points came quickly and efficiently in a third set that exemplified the strong team play, passing and defense the Eagles have exhibited all tournament long.
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They doubled Bellevue's offensive production in the final frame and sliced in half the Bruins error output in order to seal a quick victory.
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Joclyn Kirton ended the evening match as Biola's kill leader. Her 15 smacks helped her show off the powerful arm that helped earn her NAIA All-American recognition one year ago.
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Amy Weststeyn also got double-digit kills and held herself to just one attacking error in 17 attempts. She is hitting .525 through the first five contests of the season, good enough for third-best in the nation. She is behind two players who have a combined six sets under their belts, compared to her 19.
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Allison Spencer edged out
Ashton Arbuthnot for the team lead in assists, and the two of them each eclipsed the 100-plus assist mark for the season.
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Biola's win improves its overall record to 4-1 as they prepare for next week's tournament at Concordia. The Eagles will go head-to-head with Eastern Oregon, Westminster (UT), Great Falls (MO) and Olivet Nazarene (IL) on Friday and Saturday.