PASADENA, Calif. — The Caltech volleyball team hosted the Poets of Whittier College on Saturday for an evening clash at Braun Gymnasium between two hungry SCIAC squads.

The Beavers struck first in the opening set as senior setter Halle Blend delivered an unanswered kill after getting fed by sophomore setter/DS Giulia Murgia; Whittier responded on the following point, though the Beavers retook the lead at 2-1 after another kill from Blend with a Murgia assist.

Senior OH/OPP Claire Perhach picked up her first successful attack of the night on the Beavers' third point as Murgia earned her third assist in six points played.

The Beavers stayed with the visitors for a little while before the guests jumped ahead by several points in the middle part of the set. Caltech continued to fight – at one point delivering three straight points with a kill a piece for sophomore OHs Marissa Till and Sophia Parker – though it was not enough to overtake Whittier.

The teams swapped sides before Caltech again scored the first point of the set, though the Poets again answered on the subsequent point. The Beavers scored a 3-2 lead before Whitter scored three straight points, though Caltech responded by forcing an attack error before Till delivered a kill off a set from first-year libero Celine Wu. Whittier pushed ahead to the end of the set despite Caltech putting up a valiant effort.

The Beavers opened the third set with new energy as they scored six straight points, electrifying the Caltech bench and fan section. With Murgia at serve, the team opened the action with a ferocious Parker kill before Blend and senior MB Helen Brackney rose up for a massive block. Brackney posted yet another shared block on the very next point, this time with the help of Parker to give the Beavers a 3-0 lead.

Murgia delivered two straight aces on the following points to give Caltech a 5-0 lead before Brackney and Parker again collaborated for a successful and well-timed block.

The special run would come to an end on the next point though the Beavers stayed ahead for much of the set. The Poets later tied the contest, though a kill from Blend put Caltech up one. A Poet point on the subsequent possession was answered with a commanding kill from Perhach. The two teams battled throughout the set before Whittier reached 25 points.

It was a varied attack approach from Caltech as four Beavers recorded four or more kills over the course of the match. Parker led the group with five while Till, Blend and Perhach each notched four.

Murgia led the team in assists with 12; Blend followed with 11. Wu came up with a number of impressive digs throughout the matchup; she ended the evening with 15 to lead all players from both teams.

Brackney registered the team's highest individual hitting percentage (.250). Caltech won the first point in each of the three sets.

Next up for head coach Tom Garnder and the program is another evening matchup as the team faces Chapman University on the road this Friday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. Follow along online at gocaltech.com/coverage.

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