NEWPORT NEWS, Va.—Lewis & Clark volleyball earned their first win of the season on Saturday, to secure a split on Day 2 of the Captains Classic.
THE BASICS
Lewis & Clark 3, Hollins University 0
Christopher Newport University 3, Lewis & Clark 0
(Lewis & Clark 1-2)
(Hollins 0-4)
(Christopher Newport 2-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED: HOLLINS MATCH
After suffering a 3-1 setback on Friday in their season opener to UW-Oshkosh, the Pioneers dominated Hollins on Saturday morning.
Lewis & Clark held the Green and Gold to a negative hitting percentage (-.027) and won the three sets 25-6, 25-18, 25-18. The win marked first-year head coach
Erin Labasan's first win with the Pioneers and her first win as a lone head coach.
Pioneers newcomers
Ellie Weber (10 kills) and
Emily Strand (seven kills) paced the offensive attack for Lewis & Clark. Weber hit .259 and tacked on a solo block and two digs, while Strand hit a robust .545 with three digs and a block assist.
Izzy Willis filled up the stat sheet with five kills, a match-high six aces and eight digs.
Kelsie Nakashima put up 27 assists in the win and
Bethany Ballesteros (16) and
Katie Shimaura (11) both posted double-digit digs.
Eleven of the 12 Pioneers appeared in the win over Hollins.
HOW IT HAPPENED: Christopher Newport Match
Lewis & Clark wrapped up the Captains classic with a tough match against the tournament hosts. The Pioneers were even at 13 midway through the first set before falling 25-18 and the Captains would use early runs in the final two sets to capture identical 25-15 set victories.
Shimaura led Lewis & Clark in the loss with 15 digs and one assist.
Offensively,
Debi Chun recorded a team-best seven kills with Willis tacking on five kills and 13 digs in the loss.
Nakashima and senior
Ashley Kane contributed eight and six assists respectively.
The Captains used their size to their advantage, as they held Lewis & Clark to a -.038 hitting percentage. Christopher Newport tallied eight block assists, while Lewis & Clark was held without any blocks or block assists.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Labasan earned her first win at Lewis & Clark and her 12th collegiate win. In 2017, she served as the Smith College interim head coach and led the (also) Pioneers to 11 victories.
- Nakashima was named to the All-Tournament Team after posting 35 assists in Saturday's two matches.
- Saturday's matches were the first time the Pioneers have ever played Christopher Newport or Hollins.
- Nine of the Pioneers 11 players who appeared in the Hollins match posted a kill. The Pioneers hit .225 in the match.
- The Pioneers 25-6 first-set win against Hollins was their most lopsided set victory since September 11 of last year, when they took the third set against Mills College 25-3.
WHO'S NEXT
Lewis & Clark will fly back west, before they travel to Pacific University on Friday for a pair of matches. The Pioneers will take on North Park University and UC Santa Cruz on Friday at Noon and 3 p.m. as part of the Oregon Trail Classic.
