SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Lewis & Clark College volleyball opened its 2025 campaign Friday at the University of California-Santa Cruz's Slugfest, battling in two matches on the first day of the season. The Pioneers fell in four sets to Redlands University in the afternoon and dropped a three-set match to the host Banana Slugs in the nightcap.
THE BASICS
Match One
Redlands 3, Lewis & Clark 1 (25-17, 26-24, 22-25, 25-15)
(Lewis & Clark 0-1)
(Redlands 1-0)
Match Two
UC Santa Cruz 3, Lewis & Clark 0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-15)
(Lewis & Clark 0-2)
(UC Santa Cruz 1-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Junior
Kaitlyn Jensen made her NCAA debut on Friday, recording her first double-double as a Pioneer in the opener and finishing the day with 18 kills, 20 digs, three aces and three blocks. Jensen spent her first two seasons at Edmonds College, a two-year school north of Seattle.
Ruby Kuerschner also posted a double-double against Redlands with 15 assists and 14 digs before moving to a pin hitter role in the second match. The junior closed the day with six kills and two solo blocks.
Senior Abigail Warwick tallied six kills and four blocks, while juniors
Isabel Meleán-Williams (nine kills),
Christi San Diego (seven kills) and
HB Schuett (five kills) each recorded at least five kills on the day.
Kenzie Edwards led the team with 18 assists and five service aces across both matches and added 12 digs. Senior libero
Reilyn Sabado chipped in with 13 digs.
Match One
The Pioneers pushed Redlands to four sets in their season opener.
Redlands started fast, racking up 13 kills to take the first set 25-17. Lewis & Clark responded in the second, using serving runs from Edwards and Jensen to push the Bulldogs deep into extra points. Edwards landed two of her match-high five aces in the set, including one that tied the score late, but Redlands held on for a 26-24 win.
Lewis & Clark carried the momentum into the third, winning 25-22. Kuerschner notched seven digs and two kills, while Jensen put down six kills. Meleán-Williams and San Diego added two apiece as the Pioneers collected 14 kills in the frame.
The Bulldogs closed out the match in the fourth, using a 10-4 run midway through the set to secure a 25-15 victory.
Jensen led the Pioneers with 14 kills on .209 hitting and added 14 digs for her first career double-double. Edwards contributed two kills, nine assists and eight digs to go along with her five aces. Kuerschner dished out 15 assists, added five kills and tied for the team lead with 14 digs. San Diego finished with a team-best four blocks as the Pioneers totaled six.
Match Two
In the nightcap, the Pioneers faced UC Santa Cruz and fell in three sets.
Lewis & Clark hung close in the second set, taking a 19-17 lead after a kill by Schuett and an ace from Jensen. The Banana Slugs answered with an 8-2 closing run to go up 2-0.
Jensen again led the attack with four kills and six digs. Meleán-Williams added four kills, while San Diego and Schuett chipped in three each. Warwick had two kills and two blocks, tying San Diego for the team lead.
Edwards tallied nine assists and four digs in her second collegiate start. Sophomore
Abbi Sanchez, a junior college transfer, made her NCAA debut and posted six assists, three digs and two aces.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Kuerschner owns 15 career double-doubles.
- San Diego led the team with six blocks (one solo, five assists) across the two matches.
- The Pioneers served 18 aces on the day.
WHO'S NEXT
Lewis & Clark continues play at the Slugfest on Saturday with two matches. The Pioneers take on Occidental College at 1 p.m. before closing the weekend with a rematch against UC Santa Cruz at 4 p.m.
