IRVINE, Calif. – After jumping out to a 2-0 lead, the Concordia women's volleyball team had to fend off a late surge from the visiting Westmont Warriors on Thursday to secure its first conference win.

Sophomore Kayden Croy turned in an outstanding effort with a career-high 21 kills. She also had a personal best with 57 swings while adding seven digs to help the cause.

Senior setter Kawehi Chang had a superb game with 50 assists and 15 digs. Those were both her second-highest totals in those categories this season and in her career. She also tied a career-high with three kills, to the delight of the home bench.

Ally Scheidle chipped in with 12 kills and hit .242 while her teammate Kennedy Farley added a dozen kills while hitting .257 from the floor. That duo combined for ten digs on the back end as well.

"Kayden, Ally and Kawehi were all fantastic and played huge roles for us getting this victory," said CUI head coach Eryn Leja-Martin. "This team has been hungry for their first conference win and I know it meant a lot to them tonight."

The Golden Eagles were down 5-1 in the opening stanza before rattling off nine consecutive points with Croy going on a serving spree. CUI took the first two sets 25-19 and 25-15 and seemed to be in cruise control midway through the third for a potential sweep.

But the Warriors rallied in the third set and tied it at 23 apiece before earning a 25-23 decision to extend the match. Westmont then controlled the fourth set and CUI succumbed 25-18.

Even though Westmont refused to go quietly into the night, Concordia regrouped and dominated in the fifth set to clinch the match, 3-2.

Chang had one of her unorthodox kills at the net to surprise the Warriors down the stretch and Croy put the finishing touches on this one off a set from Chang, 15-9.

Defensive specialist Celia Dowell placed three service aces and her first two career kills. Westmont's libero also had two kills as both teams took turns catching their opponent off guard at moments, which led to this match going five sets.

"I think the difference in this match came down to the work we've been putting in during practices," added Leja-Martin. "We had a tough start to conference playing Point Loma twice in the first week, which forced us to sharpen and identify weaknesses right away. I think battling them harder the second time around showed us what we can do, if we can stick to a game plan and (play) a little harder."

CUI visits Biola this Saturday at 5 p.m. in La Mirada. It's the first of four straight road games for the ladies in the first half of October.

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