LA MIRADA --- Biola Volleyball celebrated Senior Day with a straight-set victory over Jessup on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Warriors 25-20, 25-18, 25-19 at Chase Gymnasium.
Biola honored
Payton Tully,
Lexi Lambert,
Hannah Hanson,
Ashlyn Beebe and
Madison Moore before the match.
Before taking the court for the final time at Chase Gymnasium, the five seniors reflected on the memories that made their time at Biola special. Their answers shared a common theme: the moments spent together. Tully pointed to travel trips, Halloween practices and everyday life with her teammates. Hanson remembered adventures on the road and the friendships formed away from the court, while Moore highlighted the team's trip to Alaska, barbecues and team bonding. Beebe recalled coffee runs, team meals and a senior sunrise surf in Hawaii, and Lambert named trips to Hawaii, pregame locker room dance parties and getting to play volleyball alongside her best friends.
For Hanson, being able to finish her final home match alongside those teammates with a sweep made the afternoon even more special.
"It was so great playing with my teammates," stated Hanson. "And it's even better that we were able to sweep them."
The Eagles wasted little time taking control of the opening set.
Savannah Simpson served Biola through a 10-0 start that included two service aces, while Moore and
Hannah Guzzetti combined for seven kills during the run. Jessup worked its way back into the frame, but Biola maintained its advantage before Simpson put down the final kill in the 25-20 win.
The second set was much tighter, featuring nine ties and five lead changes. Jessup moved ahead 17-16 before Moore tied the set with a kill. Beebe then stepped to the service line and helped Biola put together a seven-point run that turned a 17-17 tie into a 24-17 advantage. Beebe contributed a kill and a service ace during the stretch before
Alex Strating closed out the 25-18 set with a kill.
Biola again created separation in the third. With the score tied at six, the Eagles scored five straight behind Lambert's serve to take an 11-6 lead. Jessup stayed within striking distance, but Biola never surrendered the advantage. Simpson and Guzzetti helped carry the offense down the stretch before a Jessup error completed the 25-19 win and the Senior Day sweep.
For Lambert, the final points offered an opportunity to take in her last match inside Chase Gymnasium.
"I was just trying to soak it all in and really be present," said Lambert. "Last home game, and we went undefeated at home, so I was just like, 'Come on, let's go.' I was just really excited and taking it all in."
Moore led the Biola offense with a match-high 12 kills. Guzzetti was efficient at the net, putting down 10 kills on 13 swings for a .615 hitting percentage, while Simpson also finished with 10 kills and added a match-high four service aces and four block assists.
Juliana Van Ommering and Strating contributed six and five kills, respectively.
Lambert dished out a match-high 26 assists and Hanson added 17.
Caprice Cooper anchored the back row with 13 digs, while
Sophia Knevelbaard added six. Biola finished the afternoon with 47 kills, seven service aces and six team blocks while holding Jessup to a .136 hitting percentage.
The Eagles improved to 19-5 overall and 14-3 in PacWest play with the victory. Biola plays next on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at Point Loma.
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