The match between the Cougars and the Lancers stayed close due to costly mistakes on APU’s side. The Lancers took the momentum and ran with it.
Photo by Steven Mercado
The Azusa Pacific Cougars (10-3, 3-1) fell to the California Baptist Lancers (9-5, 6-0) Tuesday night in four sets (25-22, 25-27, 20-25, 19-25) at the Felix Event Center.
It was a night of missed opportunities for the Cougars. After winning set one 25–22, the Lancers swept the rest of the match. The Lancers held momentum after taking set two and it stayed with them for the rest of the night.
“We had many opportunities out there. Set two, we were up 22–17. We just didn’t finish that set. I feel if we finished that set, it’s a different outcome,” Head Coach Chris Keife said. “Same thing in set three, it was tied 20–20 and they went on a five-point run to finish off that set. It’s those opportunities that we need to learn from and get better at because they keep happening. Against good teams, against quality teams, you’re not going to be able to get second chances after that.”
The Cougars were trailing for the majority of the first set. When they were down 14–18, they sparked a 6–0 run that gave them the advantage for the rest of the set. Half the points on this run came from junior outside hitter Alicia Utke. She led the team in kills with 14.
Senior middle blocker Christy Cain recorded 12 kills with a .417 attacking percentage and sophomore outside hitter Mattie Shelford added 13 kills. This was not enough to make up for the team’s .153 attacking percentage as a team and getting blocked by the Lancers 14 times. The offensive attack could not get anything going and this was the key to the Lancers handing the Cougars their first conference loss.
“We didn’t win one long rally tonight. It’s frustrating because those are momentum builders, those are energy points, those kind of just give you a second wind as well,” Keife said. “Cal Baptist did a great job of fighting out there and earning those points. I felt we were undisciplined and careless with our execution. We weren’t executing on those long rallies at all. It was very sloppy in those moments.”
This loss puts an end to the Cougars’ six-match winning streak and their streak of four straight sweeps. The Lancers remain unbeaten in conference play while the Cougars suffer their first loss in conference play.
APU’s next three matches are on the road. They have two more this week: the first is on Thursday at Point Loma and the second is on Saturday at Dixie State.