Skip To Main Content

Azusa Pacific University Athletics

The Online Home of the Azusa Pacific Cougars

Women's Volleyball

Cougars Respond to the Pressure

AZUSA, CALIF. – Azusa Pacific, ranked 19th in the latest NAIA Coaches' Poll, put its back to the wall, felt the pressure and responded in grand fashion, rallying to knock off Westmont, 10-15, 16-14, 15-6, 15-8, in the opening round of the NAIA Region II Playoffs.
 
With the victory the Cougars return to the region semifinals for the first time since 1994 where they will meet GSAC co-champ Fresno Pacific (22-10) on Friday (Nov. 17) at 7 p.m. in the Special Events Center in Fresno.  The other semifinal matches Biola (22-8) against Point Loma Nazarene (27-5) at 4 p.m. also in Fresno.  The eventual regional champ crowned on Saturday (Nov. 18) advances to the 16-team NAIA Championship Tournament in West Palm Beach, Fla., Nov. 29-Dec. 2.
 
Westmont, which had won 14 of the past 18 meetings with Azusa Pacific, appeared to be headed toward win No. 15 since 1991 after taking a 15-10 victory in game one and rebounding from a 13-12 game 2 deficit to find itself serving for a game 2 win, up 14-13.  The Warriors had 5 cracks at the win but committed  3 service errors and was unable to put the ball away on the other 2 service attempts.
 
Azusa Pacific eventually answered with 3 straight points, the clincher coming on a Warrior ball-handling error that allowed the Cougars to take game 2 and even the match at 1-1.
 
The missed opportunity of assuming a commanding lead seemed to rattle the Warriors, while the Cougars took full advantage of its new life.  Azusa Pacific opened game 3 with an 8-1 run.  Behind Sharly Hickox's blocking, Westmont rallied to within 8-6.  However, Azusa Pacific closed out with 7-0 run, with freshmen Christy Kimmel and Roxanna Mercer leading the assault with 3 and 2 kills, respectively.
 
The Cougars continued to steamroll in game 4, jumping out to a 7- 2 before Westmont rallied to within 10-7.  However, Kimmel single-handed kept the Warriors at bay with 2 kills and a block as Azusa Pacific closed out the match with a 5-1 run to post its first postseason victory since the 1994 NAIA Championship Tournament.
 
Kimmel, who just yesterday was named to the 2000 All-GSAC team, led a balanced Cougar attack with 20 kills, including 6 in the fourth game.  GSAC co-Freshman of the Year Jenna Sagehorn added 16 kills and a team-high 19 digs.  Junior Tishanna Pope, had 11 kills, including 5 key attacks late in the fourth game that put the Warrior defense on its heals.
 
Westmont was certainly the better of the 2 teams in the early going.  The Warriors used a 13-2 run that stretched across the first 2 games, to win the game one and assume a 6-2 lead in the second game. 
 
However, with game 2 and match slipping away, Azusa Pacific responded to the pressure, not once but twice, tying the game at 7-7 and then staving off 5 Warrior service points before rallying to win the game.
 
With the victory Azusa Pacific improves to 23-8, its best record since going 34-8 in 1991
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Tishanna Pope

#12 Tishanna Pope

MB
5' 11"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Tishanna Pope

#12 Tishanna Pope

5' 11"
Sophomore
MB