Volleyball handles Whittier in straight sets

CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps volleyball team took care of the Whittier College Poets in three sets (25-16, 25-9, 25-19) on Friday night in the Linde Activities Center. The Athenas held the Poets to an impressive .000 hitting percentage, forcing as many errors as kills.

For CMS, outside hitters Crystal Anderson (CMC) and Nicole Kerkhof (CMC) each tallied 10 kills on the night, assisted equally by setters Tanner Hoke (CMC) and Clara Madsen (CMC).

The digs were scattered throughout the team with all but one player recording one. Libero Mikena Werner (SCR) led the team with nine digs followed by Anderson with eight.

In the first set, CMS took an early lead that steadily grew throughout the game. Kerkhof ended the set definitively with a cross-court kill, assisted by Hoke.

The Athenas stepped up their game in the second set starting off going 6-1, predominantly on Kerkhof's serve. Whittier was unable to string two points together until CMS already had the 20-6 lead. CMS hit .385 during the set while the Poets were held to -.087.

Whittier made the third set more exciting when they took an early 9-4 lead. During that time, the Poets' Rebecca Slattery slammed down two kills. CMS gained back the ground and took the lead on Anderson's serve as Madsen assisted Kerkhof on three out of four points. The Athenas went on another run on Werner's serve pushing the score to 17-11 in CMS' favor, punctuated by a kill by sophomore Mariah Rigg (CMC). Rigg then closed the door for the Athenas to take the set 25-19.

Whittier's Olive Anagu led the Poets with six kills and libero Jennifer Estrada carried the majority of the digs, getting 12 on the night.

With the win tonight, CMS improves to 2-1 in SCIAC and 12-3 overall. The No. 9 ranked Athenas travel to the No. 7 ranked Cal Lutheran (12-2, 2-0 SCIAC) for a big rivalry matchup on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 6 p.m.

Box Score

By Emily Nordhoff
Sports Information Director

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