CLAREMONT, Calif. (Oct. 28, 2022) - The Caltech volleyball program traveled to take on the Pomona-Pitzer Colleges' Sagehens in the second-to-last conference matchup of the season on Friday night.  While the Beavers found themselves down 0-1, they battled back to take set two, competing all evening long in a hard-fought 17-25, 25-20, 19-25 and 17-25 loss.  
 
Quick Shots
-Final Score: Caltech 1, Pomona-Pitzer 3.
-Location: Voelkel Gymnasium, Pomona College
-Records: Caltech 6-11, 4-9 SCIAC, Pomona-Pitzer 15-8, 10-5 SCIAC
 
Critical Moments
-Having tied the match at one set a piece, the Beavers trailed in set three 11-15, when junior Claire Perhach (Carlsbad, Calif. / Sage Creek) got the kill that got the Beavers within 12-15.  A service run of five points by freshman Sophia Parker (Palmdale, Calif. William J. Pete Knight) pushed the Beavers into the lead at 17-15, forcing a Pomona-Pitzer timeout.  
-After a Dallas Taylor (Phoenix, Ariz. / Saguaro) kill in the third set made the score 19-17 in Caltech's favor, the Sagehens sided out and proceeded to go on a seven-point service run that included two aces by the Sagehens player to close out the set and give the hosts the 2-1 lead. 
 
Key Beavers
-Gabriella Twombly (Weston, Fla. / Archbishop McCarthy) The junior played exceedingly well on the evening, registering four kills on eight attempts, hitting .571.  The middle also added three service aces, six digs, a solo block, and four block assists, giving her 14 points on the evening-four better than the next closest Beaver. 
-Claire Perhach.  Registering nine kills on the evening on 30 kill attempts, Perhach also contributed to the Beavers punch by adding two block assists.   
-Marissa Till (Woodinville, Wash. Woodinville). The freshman tied for the team high with nine kills on the evening, while taking the most swings.  She hit .118 for the four sets.
-Halle Blend. (Farmers Branch, Texas Hockaday) Leading the offense from the setting position as she has all season long, Blend distributed 37 assists in the four-set match, while also calling her own number and hitting .143 on the night, registering three kills and adding 12 digs.  
-Angel Wang (Colorado Springs, Colo. Pine Creek). The junior libero dug up 24 balls on the night and provided two balls that led to kills.
 
Notes
-With a 2-0 finish this weekend, the Beavers were hoping to finish the season with six SCIAC wins, matching the program record set in 2021.  With the loss to the Sagehens, they won't equalize last year's mark, but can still reach five conference wins with a defeat of Whittier.
-Having lost 66% of 2021 kills total to graduation or injury, it's more than impressive what the 2022 Beavers have been able to accomplish.  Freshmen account for nearly half of the team's kills on the season and almost 60% of the team's service aces on the year.   
 
Up Next
The Beavers will complete their 2022 season when they host the Poets of Whittier College tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 pm inside Braun Gym on the Caltech campus.  The match marks Senior Day for MB Dallas Taylor.