THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.— Maci Haddad tallied 11 kills with a .500 hitting percentage, Christina Williams recorded six blocks and six kills and Cal Lutheran women's volleyball swept the Whittier Poets 25-18, 25-12, 25-23 on Friday night.
The Regals got back to their winning ways and improved to 4-2 in the SCIAC. The loss drops Whittier to 3-4. CLU is currently tied with La Verne for the third spot in conference.
This is the second time this year that Haddad has hit with a .500 clip. While leading her squad with 11 kills, it is the fifth time she has amassed double-digit kills.
Mackenzie Martinez was next with eight kills, just narrowly missing a double-double as she tallied a team-high 17 digs. Williams had the third-highest kills for CLU and led the team with her six blocks. She helped shut down the Poets at the net as Whittier hit .027 for the match.
With the offense being spread throughout the team, the Regals split time at the setter position between Jennifer Kent and Jenna Jones. Kent recorded 15 assists, four digs and one each of a ace, block and kill. Jones dished out 12 assists and added five digs, one ace and one kill.
Four Regals tallied 3-plus blocks and two Regals recorded double-digit digs as the defense had the Poets' number. After Williams, Haddad and Sarah Hein both chipped in with four blocks and Samantha Landrum added three more. Libero Carly Rose Howard was the second Regal with double-digit digs and accounted for 12 and then tied with Julia Trento for the most aces with two.
In the first set, the Poets kept it close and only trailed 17-15 midway through. That's when the Regals hit their stride, scoring five straight points, and had a 22-15 lead. Haddad and Hein swatted down a kill, Trento served an ace and Williams and Landrum combined for a block. That was the room the Regals needed as they claimed the first set 25-18.
CLU kept that momentum going into the second set and doubled up WC at 8-4. A few plays later with the Regals up 11-8, Cal Lutheran used another run, this one being 9-0, and gave them the distance again. The Regals coasted the rest of the way and won the set 25-12.
Whittier tried to answer in the third set and it close early on and at the end. The Poets had the score tied at 18, 20 and 23, but would never take the lead. The Regals finished off the poets as Hadded swung for a kill and Williams and Hein combined for a block. CLU won the third set 25-23 and swept the Poets.
Cal Lutheran is back on the road and takes on Chapman. The Regals look to knock off the Panthers, who are undefeated in conference play, Saturday at 4 p.m.
Box Score:CLU 3, WC 0
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director
