IRVINE, Calif. - Saturday afternoon's highly-anticipated match between two nationally-ranked teams from the PacWest certainly lived up to the billing.
No. 22 Concordia University Irvine and No. 20 Point Loma Nazarene University battled back and forth and fittingly needed five sets to decide a winner.
CUI took the even sets 25-23 and 25-20 to force a fifth set after PLNU won the opening stanza 25-17 and escaped in the third by a count of 26-24. But the visiting Sea Lions snapped CUI's seven game winning streak by grinding out a 15-9 decision in the deciding set.
A key turning point came in the third set, when CUI opened up an 18-12 advantage. Point Loma scraped its way back in to it and drew level at 22-22. CUI held strong and appeared to tie the match again at 25 all but a challenge by Point Loma negated a point in the back corner and flipped it to a 26-24 decision for the Sea Lions.
Nevada Knowles handed out 45 assists and scooped up a season-high 24 digs to go with seven kills. The assist and dig totals for the setter were both the most she has ever piled up in one game as a Golden Eagle.
Two-time PacWest Player of the Week
Emma Wegleitner led the Golden Eagles with 16 kills and also had an impressive 22 digs. Meanwhile, libero
Halen Kiefer added 18 digs and outside hitter
Livia Eyre added another double double to her freshman campaign with 14 kills and 15 digs.
The stats for both teams told the same story as the eye test - this was an epic battle between two heavyweights who absolutely could be on a collision course for the league title - and perhaps a playoff match or two in the conference tournament or NCAA Regional.
Point Loma's setter Sophia Baugh had 54 assists and 24 digs while libero Kira Federico continued the theme and had 24 digs as well. Middle blocker Kyra Miles led all players with 26 kills and hit .585 on the day.
The first-place Golden Eagles are still 15-3 overall and 8-1 in the PacWest after starting conference play with eight straight wins (all via sweeps). PLNU is in third place and has two losses so far on their ledger in league action.
CLICK HERE for a look at the current PacWest Conference women's volleyball standings
Next up for CUI is a visit to La Mirada to take on the second-place Biola Eagles on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. PT
The Golden Eagles are then back at home over fall break with matches against Jessup on Friday and Dominican on Saturday.
CLICK HERE for the full CUI women's volleyball schedule
