AZUSA, CALIF. -- Azusa Pacific needed just 2 good games. Yet the match took 2-and-a-half hours. In the end, Azusa Pacific prevailed over Vanguard, 12-15, 15-6, 13-15, 15-4, 15-7, in a Golden State Athletic Conference volleyball match.
The Cougars overcame themselves and 3 sluggish games before they found their "A" game to dispose of Vanguard in games 4 and 5, winning the match as they sprinted away from the Lions.
Sophomore Bonnie Whipple came off the bench to tally a career-high 31 kills, including 10 in game 2, to pace the Cougars to the comeback. Sophomore Tishanna Pope and senior Jennifer French each added 13 kills
Azusa Pacific opened the match with an 8-1 lead in game 1 but fell apart, allowing the Lions to score 14 of the game's next 18 points. The Cougars rebounded in game 2 to even the match at 1 game apiece but still didn't look strong in the effort. Vanguard's Megan Godfrey, who had a match-high 33 kills, led the Lions to a game 3 victory. Azusa Pacific managed just 5% hitting combined in games 1 and 3.
The Cougars eventually shook out the cobwebs and begin to play some quality volleyball, steamrolling to a 9-0 lead to start game 4 with Whipple collecting 3 kills in the run. Vanguard came no closer than 10-4 before the Cougars put the game away with 5 straight points, with Whipple getting 2 more kills.
Now on a roll, the Cougars opened the fifth and deciding game with a 7-2 run before Vanguard rallied to within 9-5. At that point senior Lorna Lyttle took over for a tiring Whipple and registered 3 of her match 11 kills in a Cougar 5-2 run that put Azusa Pacific back up at 14-7. Whipple then finished off the match with his 31st kill, a game- and match-winner.
This is Azusa Pacific's first 5-game victory in over 2 years, snapping a string of 6 straight 5-game losses dating back to Sept. 20, 1997, when Azusa Pacific edged GSAC rival Westmont in 5 games in Azusa.
With the victory, Azusa Pacific improves to 14-13 overall and with 1 match left in the season, needs a victory over The Master's Tuesday night in Azusa to clinch the Cougars' first winning season since 1994. The Cougars close out GSAC play at 7-11, good for sixth place in the 10-team conference.
Vanguard finishes its season at 12-19 overall, 4-14 in the GSAC.
