PASADENA, Calif. — Caltech Volleyball faced the nationally-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas on Tuesday in an inter-conference evening clash at Braun Gymnasium.
The Beavers tested their strong foes in the first set as the squad posted a number of impressive points and impressive rallies. A thundering kill by sophomore OH
Sophia Parker opened the scoring for Caltech after getting set up by senior setter Hall Blend before senior OH/OPP
Claire Perhach logged a block two points later.
An 8-4 lead for the visitors would not deter the Beavers, who went on an incredible 6-2 run to tie the set at 10-10. Four different Beavers logged at least one kill in the run; one point came off a massive block from Parker and senior MB/OPP
Helen Brackney.
The Athenas responded with a run of their own to take a small lead, though Caltech hung around as the set continued. A huge kill from sophomore OH
Marissa Till put the Beavers within two at 16-14, though the squad could not catch up to the guests as the Athenas won the first set 25-20.
CMS struck first in Set 2 though the Beavers responded yet again with a kill from Parker off the assist from Blend. The team scored back-to-back points later in the action after Blend recorded a ferocious kill off the set from first-year setter
Shreeya Thuppul before first-year OH
Alize Bakker served an ace.
Three straight points from Caltech highlighted the later part of the set as Brackney logged another block before Parker slammed another kill from Blend. Perhach and Blend collaborated for a block on the subsequent point.
Set 3 began with the Beavers logging the first point after Perhach and Blend logged yet another shared block. The squad went up 2-0 on the following point as Blend set up Perhach for the kill. The Carlsbad native scored the team's next two points as well by route of two more kills.
Perhach led the team in kills with seven while Parker recorded the second-most, with six. Blend led the team in assists (13).
First-year libero
Celine Wu kept a number of points alive throughout the match; she tied for the most digs among all players with 17.
The Beavers tied the Athenas in service aces (three) and solo blocks (two). They recorded two service errors to the visitors' seven.
Next up for head coach
Tom Gardner and the program is a match against the University of La Verne Leopards on Oct. 17 in another Tuesday night home clash. Action is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
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