AZUSA, Calif. – The NAIA's No. 8-ranked Azusa Pacific employed perhaps its most balanced attack of the season to overcome some first-game doldrums, once again, and down Westmont, 23-30, 30-22, 30-18, 30-21, to close out the first round of Golden State Athletic Conference play.
Four different Cougars reached double-digit kills to pace Azusa Pacific, which for eighth time in 10 GSAC matches dropped the first game of play. Senior Chelsea Morgan, who struggled the past 2 matches, snapped out of her mini slump with a match-high 18 kills, including 16 over the final 3 games. And has been the case throughout much of the season, freshman Jill Baker tagged along Morgan's side in the offensive attack with 16 kills.
However, it was the play of sophomore Megan Burch and junior Brianne Huff that provided Azusa Pacific the push to get over the hump. Burch registered 12 kills, including a few from the back row, and Huff added 11.
"Megan played very, very well tonight," said third-year Cougar coach Chris Keife. "We're using her more out of the back row and she performed well."
The Cougars committed 22 hitting errors in the 4-game match, 14 of which came in the first game.
"I'm not sure why we're struggling at the start of the match," added Keife. "We're young and it's taking us awhile to get into our rhythm and lower our errors."
Indeed, the Cougars did lower their errors, committing just 8 over the final 3 games. Azusa Pacific used a 7-2 run early in the second game to assume a lead it would never relinquish the rest of the night. Sophomore Kelsey Knudsen tallied her 3 of her 8 kills in the match during the run that gave Azusa Pacific the lead, the momentum, and in essence the match.
Seven different Cougars tallied at least 1 kill, including junior Alison Pattison, who came into the match with just 4 kills on the season and yet had 2 from the back row tonight.
"Lately we've been giving our opponents too many easy balls," said Keife, "so this week in practice we worked on getting a swing on every play. Allison was a part of that tonight."
Azusa Pacific opened with 6-1 and 9-2 runs to take control of games 3 and 4, respectively, and was never seriously threatened the rest of the way to cruise to its fourth straight win over Westmont.
The Warriors were paced by Kelsey Voetmann's 14 kills. Katelyn Lowry had 11, including 5 in the first game.
With the victory, Azusa Pacific improves to 15-4 overall, 7-3 in the GSAC. Westmont falls to 5-9 overall, 3-7 in the GSAC.
