IRVINE, Calif. - Azusa Pacific dropped its first match of the day at the Concordia Invitational on Friday, falling in four sets to Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Cougars will be back on the court in just a few hours, as they take on Colorado Springs at 4:30 pm.
Annaka Jorgenson finished the match with 17 kills and 12 digs, while
Brooke Bunker had 16 assists. Paige Johnston had 18 digs, and
Kyra Palmbush recorded a solo block and four block assists at the net.
How It Happened: In the opening set, a Cougar service error gave the Toros a 5-4 lead, and while Cal State Dominguez Hills would hold the lead for most of the first set, Azusa Pacific would not go away, eventually knotting the score up at 20-20. The Toros would re-capture the momentum with three unanswered points to jump back up 23-20, and they would hold on for a first set victory.
Cal State Dominguez Hills surged ahead in the second set, scoring seven consecutive points to open up a comfortable lead early. The Toros would maintain a lead of four or more points for most of the set, but the Cougars threatened with a late 6-1 run to pull within two points at 18-16. It would be the closest Azusa Pacific would get, with the Toros eventually securing the 25-20 set victory.
With the Cougars in danger of being swept, the two teams were locked in a 10-10 tie in the third set. A kill by Macaskill jump started a 7-0 run for the Cougars, putting Azusa Pacific in control of the set with a 17-10 lead. The Cougars kept their advantage at seven or more points through the remainder of the set, and a dominant 25-15 win sent the match to a fourth set.
In the fourth set, Azusa Pacific used a 4-0 run to flip a one point deficit into a 12-9 lead. Over the next several minutes, the Cougars continued to build a lead, pushing their advantage to as large as 22-14. With a fifth set looming, the Toros got their attack in order, scoring eight of the next nine points to tie the score at 23-23. While an attack error gave the Cougars set point, the Toros would take the next three points to secure the match win in four sets.
By the Numbers: Azusa Pacific recorded 50 kills on 163 attempts for a .172 hitting percentage, while the Toros finished at .150 with 47 kills on 153 attempts. At the net, Cal State Dominguez Hills had 10 total blocks, and the Cougars finished with six.
Up Next: To watch the Cougars' match against Colorado Springs at 4:30 pm this afternoon, click here.
