PASADENA, Calif. — The Caltech volleyball team hosted the Regals of Cal Lutheran University on Friday night in an exhilarating five-set clash. The Beavers came into the match with two SCIAC wins in just three games after opening conference play with a straight-set win over Redlands before topping Pomona-Pitzer in a five-set thriller.

The first set began with the visitors striking first, though the Beavers tied up the match at four points apiece after senior setter Halle Blend connected on a service ace.

A thundering kill by Blend would give the Beavers the 5-4 lead on the following point, though the Regals stayed in reach as the set continued. A solid run by Cal Lutheran would soon give the guests the advantage; the Beavers fought back valiantly though ultimately could not climb back as the opponents grabbed the first set win.

The second set began with Caltech jumping out to the quick 4-0 lead following a kill from sophomore outside hitter Marissa Till and another from Blend in addition to two opponent attack errors. An error from the Beavers gave Cal Lu their first point, though the team bounced right back in the next rally as Till slammed another attack for a kill.

The Beavers stayed in front until 7-7 as the Regals registered an impressive run. The team would win five of the final eight points of the set, though it was too little too late as the visitors grabbed their second set.

The odds were not in the Beavers' favor as they entered the third set down 0-2, though this did not dismay the team who came out energized after the break. After dropping the first two points, Caltech gained a 5-4 advantage after Blend set up sophomore outside hitter Sophia Parker for a massive kill, electrifying the home crowd.

Neither team would jump ahead by more than two points until sophomore setter and defensive specialist Giulia Murgia landed an ace at serve, giving Caltech the 19-16 lead and forcing Cal Lutheran to use a timeout.

First-year setter Shreeya Thuppul scored a kill in the first point out of the break before the Regals registered an error; Till connected on an attack for yet another kill one point later.

An attack error by Cal Lu forced their second timeout of the set as the Beavers took a 23-19 lead before picking up the final two points needed to earn their first set win of the night. Blend recorded the set winner on a well-placed serve for ace.

Set 4 opened with Caltech picking up the opening point on kill by Thuppul in what would become a sign of good things to come. The two teams traded points as play carried on until Caltech gained momentum in the middle of the set, going on an important five-point run to go up 14-10. The advantage swelled all the way to eight a few minutes later as the score reached 20-12, giving the Beavers their biggest lead of the match. The Regals fought back to get within one point at 23-22, though the Beavers clutched up after Till rocketed a big kill to force set point before the group forced an opposing attack error to force a deciding fifth set.

After climbing out of the two-set hole, the Beavers entered the fifth set with poise, though Cal Lutheran nabbed the quick lead after going up 5-1 in the opening points. An impressive kill from first-year outside hitter Alize Bakker gave the Beavers their second point before Blend delivered their third.

Caltech would get within three points at 7-4 and again at 12-9 and 13-10 before the visitors earned the final two points to win the match.

Till notched 16 kills on the night, leading the team and tying for the most kills by any player in the contest. Blend and Bakker added nine kills. Murgia led the team with 22 assists for kills by her teammates, also picking up her first-ever intercollegiate block assist.
As a team, the Beavers hit 44 kills in the match with eight service aces, eight block assists and three solo blocks.

It will be a quick turnaround for head coach Tom Gardner and the program as travel to face the Whittier College Poets Saturday, Sep. 30 at 6 p.m. Follow the match at gocaltech.com/coverage.

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