PASADENA, Calif. (Oct. 29, 2021) - With the spotlight shining on their final match, Caltech volleyball's four graduating seniors keyed a 3-0 sweep over California Lutheran University for the Beavers' program-record sixth SCIAC win of the season.

 

Suiting up for their last match in a Beavers uniform, Isabell Yang (Arcadia, Calif. / Arcadia), Sydney Richardson (Granite Bay, Calif. / Roseville), Megan Wang (Henderson, Nev. / Advanced Technologies Academy, and Alison Noyes (Falmouth, Maine / Falmouth) each played a critical role in the sweep. Yang contributed six kills, 13 digs (including several sprawling efforts) while also chipping in two service aces. Richardson ended her Caltech career with four kills and three digs, while Wang anchored the defense with 22 digs, one ace and four assists. Noyes capped her career with eight kills, an ace and three block assists for 10.5 points on the night. Both Noyes and Wang were SCIAC standouts this season, finishing in the top five in hitting percentage and digs, respectively. While the seniors were critical to the Beavers' success, no player contributed more on the night than sophomore Claire Perhach (Carlsbad, Calif. / Sage Creek). With numerous kills at critical points of the match, Perhach had 16 kills over the three sets, and added six digs for 16 points to lead the way.  

 

The match started out with a series of scoring runs by both teams. A great slide by Noyes with the Beavers behind 12-10 got the Beavers rolling in their effort to level the set. Terrific scoring runs from the service line by Wang, Noyes and sophomore setter Halle Blend (Farmers Branch, Texas / Hockaday) provided the fuel for a Caltech victory of set one. Blend had 30 assists on the night along with five kills and six assists. She also frequently served the Regals out of system throughout the match, as she had done all season.

 

The second set saw the match go back-and-forth early as the score was tied at 5-5. Following the script of set one, more service runs, as well as frequently getting CLU out of system, provided the spark. A pivotal point of the set took place with the Beavers leading 22-17 when, with CLU on attack, their outside hitter attempted to swipe a ball off of the Caltech block. Originally ruled off the Caltech block, the lead official in the stand overruled, saying that the CLU attacker simply hit the ball of play. Richardson closed out the set for Caltech with a kill down the line for the two sets to none lead.

 

Set three began with a phenomenal service run by Yang, pushing Caltech's lead to 6-2. Trailing 10-4 early, the Regals were able to crawl back into the match and got as close as trailing 22-21, but they would get no closer as Blend went over on two for the final kill of the match with the Beavers winning the third set 25-23 and sweeping the match 3-0.

 

With the win, the Beavers ended their season with a record of 11-13, 6-10 (SCIAC). In defeat, CLU who currently reside in fourth place in the conference and hold down the last playoff spot, moved to 10-16, 8-7 (SCIAC).

 

The sixth SCIAC win for Caltech not only represents a season record, but also stands as more conference victories in one season than all other Beavers volleyball teams combined since Caltech joined the conference in the sport in 2000. This impressive feat, in spite of losing several terrific seniors who played a critical role in this team's success, positions the Beavers well to build and be a perennial competitor in the conference.

 

Head Coach Tom Gardner and the Beavers program will return to training in the Spring for their nontraditional season before returning to competitive action in August 2022 with increased expectations and new goals to achieve.