AZUSA, Calif. – As usual, when Azusa Pacific and Biola get together, you could throw out the record books. The Cougars prevailed in a hard-fought contest, taking the final volleyball match played between the two schools in the D2 era by three sets to one (25-23, 26-24, 21-25, 25-23) Friday evening inside the Felix Event Center.
How It Happened: In many ways, each set followed a similar format: Biola would slowly build a small lead, only for Azusa Pacific to storm back late. In the first set, the Eagles used a 6-1 run in the middle of the set to take a 13-9 edge. After a timeout, the Cougars won seven of the next nine points to pull ahead. Biola reasserted themselves, going ahead 22-20. But then Katelyn Sonnier recorded three consecutive kills to put the Cougars ahead, and a Sarah Wilson kill provided the final blow in a 25-23 Azusa Pacific opening frame.
In the second set, the teams fought back and forth, splitting the first 22 points of the set evenly. Biola then went on a tear, going on an 11-4 run to seemingly put the second set out of reach at 22-15. Sonnier again rode to the rescue, coming up with four kills and a block during a ferocious run down the stretch in the second, as the Cougars won 11 of the final 13 points of the set to rally for a 26-24 win and go up two sets to none.
Biola responded, winning the first six points of the third and never trailing in the set, though the Cougars did fight their way back to briefly tie the set at 20-20 before the Eagles again pulled away to force a fourth. And when the Eagles opened up a 13-8 lead in the fourth, one could be forgiven for thinking that a reverse sweep was in the cards. But the Cougars found their resolve one more time, rattling off five straight points to tie the set, then pulling ahead, an 11-3 run that gave them the lead. Biola fought back with four unanswered points to tie the set at 23, but Sarah Wilson settled things down with a kill, and Trinitee Carroll came off the bench to finish off the match with an ace.
By the Numbers: Sonnier finished the match with a career-high 18 kills and 5 blocks (1 solo, 4 assisted). She was joined in double figures in kills by Jackie Winfield with 15 and Wilson with 12. Libero Mia Medrano had 25 digs–one of four Cougars to reach double digits in that category–while Brookyn Kostoff handed out 31 assists. The Cougars hit .279 for the match as a team, their best performance since the conference opener against Menlo. With the win, the Cougars closed the gap in the all-time series to 40-48, having won the last two home meetings with the Eagles.
Up Next: Azusa Pacific (8-15, 3-7 PacWest) have two remaining games at home next week, starting with a contest against Concordia on Wednesday. First serve in the Felix Event Center is scheduled for 6:00 p.m
