Box Score AZUSA, Calif. – Azusa Pacific fell 3-1 in Friday's match against Biola in the teams' second Cornerstone Cup matchup of the year. In their previous meeting, the Cougars had defeated the Eagles with a 3-0 sweep, but this time, Biola found its rhythm, winning the first and last two sets of the match.
With the loss, the Cougars' record stands at 11-7 for the season and 7-4 in conference play. This defeat marks Azusa Pacific's fifth loss to Biola in the last six meetings.
Leading the team,
Kendyl MacAskill and Katelynn Sonnier each recorded 13 kills, with MacAskill achieving a season-best performance and Sonnier tying her career-best from last week.
Brooklyn Kostoff contributed significantly with 45 assists, while
Mia Medrano led the defense with 22 digs.
How It Happened: The Cougars trailed throughout the first set but kept the deficit within four points. Down 18-22, Azusa Pacific rallied for three consecutive points to come within one. However, Biola called a timeout, regrouped, and closed out the set with a kill, winning 25-23.
In the second set, Azusa Pacific initially took the lead and maintained it until Biola went on a 5-1 scoring run to edge ahead 17-16. The rest of the set saw neither team pull away by more than two points.
Anya Green's kill and a Biola attacking error allowed the Cougars to clinch a 27-25 victory in the second set.
Biola jumped out to a swift 6-1 lead in the third set, forcing the Cougars to play catch-up for the remainder. The Eagles showcased a formidable offense, hitting .400 for the set, and secured a 25-17 win to take a 2-1 match lead.
In the fourth set, Azusa Pacific achieved a solid .385 hitting percentage, but it wasn't enough to overcome Biola's momentum. The Eagles scored six straight points to take an early 10-6 lead and maintained their advantage, ultimately winning 25-19 in the final set.
By the Numbers: Despite the loss, Azusa Pacific led in hitting with a .270 hitting percentage while the Eagles posted a .255 average while committing 20 attack errors. However, the Eagles found confidence behind the service line with 12 aces across the four sets.
Up Next: The Cougars will have to shake this off quickly as they return to action tomorrow afternoon for a match against Westmont at home. The game is set for 1:00pm in the Felix Event Center where Azusa Pacific will look to sweep the Warriors for the second time this season.
