AZUSA, Calif. -- After splitting a challenging eight-match non-conference slate the past two weeks, Azusa Pacific rolled into Pacific West Conference play with a convincing three-set sweep (25-13, 25-19, 25-15) over Concordia Wednesday night.
The Cougars, picked as the preseason PacWest favorite by conference coaches, enjoyed a fast start in the conference opener, reeling off a 15-5 run near the beginning of a dominant opening set. Concordia led early on in all three sets, but Azusa Pacific regained the lead before hitting the 10-point mark in every set.
Freshman outside hitter Katarina Radisic registered a match-high 12 kills, and four other Cougars collected at least eight kills in a balanced offensive effort. Middle blockers Julianne Miller and Sara Wagenveld each produced eight kills, and senior outside hitter Natalie Klapp recorded nine kills, 11 digs, and two aces. Setters Kaylen Higa and Chase Davis split 43 assists, with Higa setting up 22 kills while Davis had 21, and Sophia Newhouse was the match digs leader with 19.
No Concordia player reached double figures in either kills or digs, with Patience O'Neal leading the Eagles with eight kills while Riley Gill and Clarice Buchanan were CUI's digs leaders with nine each.
MATCH SUMMARY
In the opening set, Azusa Pacific recorded 16 kills with a blistering .481 attack percentage, and Radisic led the way with five of her 12 kills in the first set alone. She added six more kills in the second set, while Aliyah Morrison recorded five kills in six attempts in the third set to finish with nine kills on the night.
Radisic recorded five kills during the Cougars' 15-5 run which turned an early 5-4 deficit into a commanding 19-10 lead as Azusa Pacific cruised to the 25-13 win. In the second set, Concordia led 5-3 and came back after surrendering the lead to tie the set at 14-14. However, Klapp had a service ace to spark a 6-0 run which gave the Cougars the lead for good in the second set.
After giving the Eagles an even larger head start in the third set, 8-4, Azusa Pacific quickly rallied with another 6-0 burst, capped by back-to-back kills from Klapp to take a 10-8 lead. The Eagles pulled within one, 13-12, but Amy Hinnant put away a kill to help the Cougars win going away by scoring 12 of the final 15 points of the match.
WHAT IT MEANS
For the fifth time in the past six years, Azusa Pacific won its PacWest opener, and it's the sixth consecutive year the Cougars have won their first conference home match. Last year, Azusa Pacific opened PacWest play with seven consecutive wins, part of a 14-1 overall start to the campaign, which led to the program's first NCAA Division II regional playoff appearance.
UP NEXT
Azusa Pacific continues a seven-match, 16-day homestand to open PacWest play with two more matches this week. On Friday, Sept. 7, the Cougars host Holy Names at 6 p.m. before a Saturday afternoon matinee at 3 p.m. against Academy of Art.
