Photo by Michael Wong
PASADENA, Calif. (Oct. 6, 2016) – Freshman Lauren Li (Bellaire, Texas / Bellaire) kept up her recent hot streak with a team-high eight kills and three service aces as Caltech volleyball fell to No. 7 Cal Lutheran University, 3-0, on Thursday night.
Li's performance marked her fourth consecutive game with at least five kills, while she also hit .160 against the Regals. Freshman Alexa Lauinger (Ortonville, Mich. / Brandon) recorded six kills and 12 digs.
Caltech came out ready to compete early in the first set, posting a pair of spirited rallies after sophomore Claudia Canamas (West Palm Beach, Fla. / Oxbridge Acad) notched a kill for the first point of the night. The teams traded points through a 7-5 CLU lead before the Regals took control, eventually scoring the final 11 points of the set. The Beavers again were competitive to start the second set, but after a 5-5 tie scored just one more point as CLU racked up a ridiculous 15 kills against just two errors for the easy win and 2-0 lead.
After a lopsided first two sets, the Beavers needed to make a statement and did just that, taking a 4-3 lead and later clawing back from a seven-point deficit to pull within two at 13-11. Trailing 12-5, a kill by Li led the Beavers on a five-point run, with three coming on aces by the rookie. The momentum shifted toward the Regals at that point, however, despite the Beavers posting a positive hitting percentage on the back of nine kills. CLU would go on to take the final set, 25-17.
Head Coach Tom Gardner and the Beavers host Mills College (0-10) for their annual Orange Out on Friday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.
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