Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. ---Every time Biola and Vanguard get together something special is bound to happen. That was no different on Tuesday night as the No. 16 Eagles and unranked Lions battled through five dramatic sets before Biola ultimately pulled out the 3-2 victory (20-25, 25-18, 25-19, 20-25, 16-14).
 
The Eagles found a way to win down the stretch despite the fact that Vanguard hung tough and staged a huge run to force a fifth set and head into it with all the momentum in the world.
 
The two teams traded points until it was 4-4 to begin the deciding set. However, when Tess Van Grouw took the ball to serve just after the Eagles sided out to make it 5-4 you had a feeling fortunes were about to turn.
 
Van Grouw served the Lions tough and forced them out of system a few times and Biola jumped right on it and worked back-to-back-to-back points off kills from the outside to storm to an 8-5 lead and bring about the side switch.
 
Two of those three kills came from Hannah Van Warmerdam; the other came from Karly Dantuma. Both of those student-athletes were hot at the right time as they each had three kills in the Eagles' clinching set victory.
 
"Down the stretch we just found a way to set the right people," said Seltzer. "It was one of those matches where it can be hard to know who to set. We just needed to get through it, and we did.
 
Fittingly, the match ended on a Van Grouw ace. It was her second opportunity to serve at 15-14. The top official ruled a Vanguard point on the first service attempt, but dispute with the down official caused that point to be replayed, which is when the ace happened.
 
"At the end of the day the only difference is that we're happy and they are not," said Head Coach Aaron Seltzer. "We found a way to win. That was great. We had to win, we won at home and I was very thankful for the energy in the place tonight."
 
It's no wonder the match ended up being so close as both teams had nearly identical stat lines in every category. The Eagles ended with 57 kills to Vanguard's 59. Both teams had six service aces. The Eagles had nine blocks to Vanguard's 10 and the teams were separated by just seven total digs.
 
It was a well-balanced attack for Biola tonight as each offensive player experienced their ups and downs throughout the five-set match. Dantuma led the team with 11 kills, while Olivia Sorensen and Hannah van Warmerdam both had 10 kills. Three other players had at least eight kills.
 
It was an all-around great night for Sorensen who hit .588 (10 kills on 17 attempts) and added four blocks.
 
"Tonight we needed everybody to be successful," said Seltzer. "I thought Olivia did a really good job in the middle defensively and really stepped up when we needed her."
 
Tonight was also Chick-Fil-A night inside of Chase Gym. The first 400 fans were awarded coupons for free Chick-Fil-A courtesy of Biola corporate sponsor Chick-Fil-A at the La Habra Marketplace.
 
"I would like to thank Chick-Fil-A for their continued support of Biola Athletics," said Seltzer. "I think it's great when we can engage the community with them. I know I love Chick-Fil-A and we go there all the time."
 
Biola improves to 15-7 (6-2 GSAC) while Vanguard falls to 7-13 (4-3 GSAC). Biola is off for over a week and returns to action next Thursday for a series of three-consecutive home matches on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.