PASADENA, Calif. – Caltech Volleyball took on Azusa Pacific Saturday afternoon at Braun Athletic Center, with the Beavers pushing the opening set to 11 ties and five lead changes.
Caltech had its moments early. In the first set, the Beavers used a 5-1 run, from 8-8 to 13-9, to build a four-point lead, with freshman Melody Xue (Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley HS) serving back-to-back aces. Caltech later fought back from a 13-15 deficit to take an 18-17 lead on consecutive kills from sophomore Veda Chennupati (Collierville, Tenn. / Collierville High School). The second set was just as competitive, tied eight times, and the Beavers pulled even at 14-14 on a 4-1 run from 10-13.
Junior Noelle Wilkinson (Bentonville, Ark. / Thaden School) led the Beavers with seven points on six kills and an ace. Senior Alize Bakker (Portland, Ore. / Westview) followed with six points on five kills and a solo block, and Chennupati added 5.5 points on four kills and a match-high three block assists. Xue's four aces tied for the match high, and senior Juniper Schwartzman (Galesburg, Ill. / Galesburg HS) hit .400 with four kills and a solo block.
Head Coach Tom Gardner and the Beavers return to Pasadena next to host the Redlands Bulldogs on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m.
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