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Scoreboard

Sierra Bauder KILL
George Rodriguez
2
Azusa Pacific APU-VB 13-5, 9-1 PacWest
3
Winner BIOLA BU-VB 12-5, 8-2 PacWest
Azusa Pacific APU-VB
13-5, 9-1 PacWest
2
Final
3
BIOLA BU-VB
12-5, 8-2 PacWest
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Azusa Pacific APU-VB 25 25 21 18 7 (2)
BIOLA BU-VB 18 23 25 25 15 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

Biola BOUNCES Back Vs. APU

Eagles ride the energy of a big crowd and some motivated players to huge win.

LA MIRADA, Calif. --- This Biola-Azusa Pacific rivalry never fails to deliver the most heart-pounding, jaw-dropping moments. This time, in front of a packed house of Biola and APU fans, Biola Volleyball found a way to mount an improbable comeback from down 2-0 and took a 3-2 win over their rival Cougars (18-25; 23-25; 25-21; 25-18; 15-7).

"It was fun. They were so good in games one and two, and we were able to be good enough in the last three," said Head Coach Aaron Seltzer. "It's always good to get a win. We hung around enough to find a way to play better. It was a good night."

The night did not begin so well for the BU Lades, as Azusa Pacific really showed why they were able to come into the match 9-0 in conference play by demonstrating almost picture perfect volleyball and also capitalizing on some Biola mistakes.

BU hit .000 in the first game and could not seem to get any positive traction against an APU team who's pin hitters were just going off and getting seemingly every swing to land. That resulted in a runaway APU win in the first and a narrow 25-23 win in the second.

The second set loss stung a bit harder for the Biola side, because the Eagles had done a tremendous job of coming back from being down the entire set and finally took a lead at 17-16 and even as wide as 19-16, but could not hold it together to get the set win.

That deflating loss could've finished off the Biola team mentally, but instead they came out for the third set more motivated, and angry, than ever. The team held the Azusa Pacific hitter to just a .086 mark in the third set and for the first time in the match recorded more kills in a set then their opponent (12-10).

It was in no way an easy journey to win the third set as Biola had to overturn deficits of three points on multiple occasions, but finally, thanks to a stretch that saw BU go on an 11-5 run, the Eagles managed to take a 20-19 lead and think about the chance of going into a fourth set.

The Eagles would win five of the next seven, including back-to-back kills from Sabrina Winslow, to seal that third set win at 25-21 and get the Biola faithful back in the match.

There was no sitting down from that point on as the momentum had completely shifted in the gym and Biola was playing almost picture perfect volleyball and APU seemed completely deflated.

The Eagles rode the energy to a breakout fourth-set win (25-18) to push the match to the brink. Biola had a match-high 13 kills in the fourth set and hit their best percentage of the night in that one, too (.324). The Eagles' were beginning to shift the tide with strong play at the net, recording four blocks in the third and four more in the fourth to help them get off the floor and tie the match at two.

The first half of the fifth set had the feel of what we imagine future NCAA West Region playoffs would feel like. The two teams went back-and-forth, trading the lead or being tied eight different times before the side switch. Ultimately, it was again a kill from Winslow that sent the teams into the switch with Biola holding onto an 8-7 lead.

Then it all fell apart for the Cougars as Biola won all seven points after the switch to clinch the match with a decisive 15-7 win. The first point after the switch was a massive block from Brinley Beresford and Sierra Bauder that sent the place into an uproar. That was the Eagles' 16th and final block of the evening, a new season-high and the most Biola's had in a match since September of last year.

"Brinley was incredible over the last few games. It was like she was a whole new person. Blocking, setting, hitting, everything - she was light's out," said Seltzer. "I don't think we got Azusa Pacific's best fifth game, because of some outside circumstances. But we played well. We kept our serves well, attacked well and it was really, really good."

Both teams ended the night with 54 kills and 50 assists, but Biola hit for a higher percentage, had way more aces (10-4) and blocks (16-6) and got the points down when it mattered most.

Sami Hover and Kaitlin O'Brien were both exceptional in the back row over the final three games. The pair combined for 40 digs, led by Hover's career-best, 27.

"Sami was really good tonight. She was everywhere," said Seltzer. "She's a great student of the game who does well in film, watches hitters and understands tendencies."

She helped predict the tendencies of Azusa Pacific's middle blockers, helping BU hold Julianne Miller and Sara Wagenveld to a combined eight kills, hitting about .050.

On the flip side, Biola's middles did everything they needed to do in order to get the job done tonight. Sierra Bauder had 13 kills, hit .478 and had a season-high 10 blocks. Bekah Roth added a handful of kills and was also integral with four blocks.

Christina DenBoer tied Bauder for the team-lead with 13 kills and added 18 digs for her second double-double of the year. Winslow, who was the one to get the most clutch kills on the evening, ended third on the squad with 12, while also adding 12 digs to record her third double-double of the year.

"Christina also turned it around the last three games," said Seltzer. "She and Brinley really helped sure up some problems we were having."

The win allows Biola to move into a spot where it's now just one game out of first place in the PacWest Conference. BU is 8-2 in conference play, which puts them in a virtual tie with Hawaii-Hilo for second place and is only behind APU.

Biola improves to 12-5 (8-2 PacWest), while the visiting Cougars fall to 13-5 (9-1 PacWest). It marks the fourth win this year for BU against an opponent that was either ranked in the top-25 in the NCAA Division II Coaches' Poll or was at least "receiving votes" in that poll. With the win, Biola also takes a 5-0 lead in this year's Cornerstone Cup competition, sponsored by West Coast Sand & Gravel.

The Eagles will turn around and host the Dominican Penguins (4-9, 2-6 PacWest) on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. before shipping off for three crucial matches in Hawaii next week.
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