LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola Volleyball began play at its NCCAA West Region Championship with a semifinal match against New Hope Christian College from Eugene, Ore. The Eagles took down the Deacons in straight sets (25-8, 25-20, 25-4) to earn their 22nd win of the year.

It was the first-ever meeting between Biola and the Deacons and the two unfamiliar teams spent most of the match getting to know each other. Biola had a considerable size advantage and used that to land 45 kills into every corner of the floor.

The Eagles' back row was solid for the entire match, holding the visitors to just 14 kills, a new season-best. Biola ended the match with a .425 hitting percentage, its second-best mark of the season.

The second game was the most competitive as Biola made some unforced errors late in the set to allow NHCC to get back into it. The Eagles had as large of a lead as eight points, but the scrappy Deacons managed to get the score all the way back to within one thanks to a four-point run leading up to the 20-19 score line.

Then the Eagles sucked it up and found a way to put the set away by winning five of the final six points. Savannah Hilde had two kills in that final five points and would end up leading the team with a 14 total kills.

Hilde set a new season-high with that tally. It's the second-largest single-match kill total of her career. She did it all while hitting at a .400 clip.

Sierra Bauder was the only other Eagle to hit double-digits in this match, compiling 10 kills on 15 swings (.600).

Sabrina Winslow and Stephanie Jewett both managed seven in terrific performances. Jewett hit .417 in her best performance of the season, to date.

As mentioned, Biola's back row was incredible throughout the morning. Sami Hover (15) and Kaitlin O'Brien (12) were digging up everything that came their way to set up Vanessa Garcia well as she served as the Eagles' only setter.

Biola also had a good day from the service line, racking up eight aces and only committing three errors. Five different players had at least one ace.

The Eagles move to 22-6 with the victory and advance to this evening's West Region Championship Match. The match will be against Ottawa (Ariz.) (16-13) at 7:00 p.m. in Chase Gym. Biola has never faced the Spirit.

We are accepting donations of canned goods to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank.