RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Never wake a sleeping giant, the old cliché goes. In the case of the NAIA's No. 8-ranked Azusa Pacific, which ran into a California Baptist front line of 6-foot Verania Willis, 6-foot-2 Angela Willis and 6-foot-2 Shi Fei in Riverside Thursday night, the giants must have been wide awake before the Cougars set foot in Riverside, as the No. 3-ranked Lancers rode the aforementioned trio to a 30-22, 30-23, 30-20 sweep.
The Willises, who are sisters from Costa Rica, and Shi Fei, a 20-year old freshman who hails from China, combined for 29 of the Lancers' 46 kills and had a hand in all 4 California Baptist blocks. Fei led the way with 12 kills, while Verania Willis, the reigning NAIA Player of the Year, added 11 kills and 3 blocks. Angela Willis also put up 3 blocks to go with 6 kills and a match-high 4 service aces.
Despite a season-low in total kills (32) and attack percentage (.082), the Cougars were able to keep stride with the Lancers through the early stages of all 3 games, tying the first 2 games at 10-10 and the third at 9-9 before giving California Baptist the lead for good.
In the first game, the Cougars surrendered 7 straight points from the tie to fall behind 17-10 and eventually drop Game 1, 30-22. The second game featured a 5-point run from the 10-10 deadlock, all from Azusa Pacific service or attack errors, and the Lancers won, 30-23. In the third game, California Baptist emerged from a 9-9 tie, taking 17 of the next 23 points to take a commanding 26-15 lead before sealing the sweep with a 30-20 win.
Freshman Jill Baker paced the Cougars with team-highs of 11 kills and 9 digs, and junior Brianne Huff added 9 kills. With her 26 assists, sophomore setter Allison Kincheloe moved into second on the Cougar charts in career assists with 2,690, eclipsing Sheri Duffy who posted 2,668 assists over her 2-year career (1990-91).
With the defeat, Azusa Pacific drops to 6-3 in Golden State Athletic Conference play, 14-4 overall, while California Baptist improves to 9-1 in GSAC, 19-2 overall. The Cougars wrap up the first half of conference play when they host Westmont Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.
