Caltech Volleyball took on Redlands Tuesday night at Braun Athletic Center and came away with a four-set victory, 25-20, 25-23, 17-25, 25-23.
“Our team did a great job of staying focused, executing our game plan, and adjusting throughout, Head Coach Tom Gardner said. “I am really proud of the hard work our women put in leading up to the match and their determination to come out on top tonight against an opponent who played tough.”
The Beavers controlled the opening set from start to finish, winning 25-20 without trailing at any point. Caltech opened the match with a 7-0 run as freshman Melody Xue (Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley) served the first seven points, including an ace, and senior Alize Bakker (Portland, Ore. / Westview) recorded four kills. The Beavers led by as many as nine points in the set.
Caltech kept the momentum in the second set, using a 7-0 run from 3-4 to 10-4 as Bakker served six of the seven points, including two aces, and sophomore Veda Chennupati (Collierville, Tenn. / Collierville) added three kills. The Beavers led by as many as seven points, and after Redlands pulled even at 23-23, Caltech won the final two points to take the set 25-23.
Caltech closed out the match in the fourth set. Bakker’s serve fueled a 6-0 run from 2-4 to 8-4, including two more aces, and a 5-0 run from 10-9 to 15-9 featured three straight kills from junior Noelle Wilkinson (Bentonville, Ark. / Thaden School). The Beavers held off a late Redlands push to win the set 25-23, with Bakker delivering the final kill.
Bakker led the Beavers with 19 points, recording 15 kills and four aces. Chennupati followed with 10 points on eight kills and a match-high four block assists. Wilkinson hit .375 with eight kills, and senior Marissa Till (Woodinville, Wash. / Woodinville) added eight points on seven kills and an ace. Xue totaled 8.5 points on five kills, two aces and three block assists, and hit .333. while collecting 16 digs.
Head Coach Tom Gardner and the Beavers travel to Thousand Oaks next to take on the Cal Lutheran Regals on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 4 p.m.
Follow Caltech Women’s Volleyball on Instagram. Watch all home and SCIAC matches live on FloCollege.
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