Eagles uproot the Oaks in Atherton

Junior opposite Karly Dantuma leads way as Biola takes its third straight sweep.

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Marika Adamopoulos

John Uy/THE CHIMES

Dale Fredriks, Writer

Following a quick three-set sweep of the William Jessup Warriors one day before, the Biola volleyball team repeated the feat against the Menlo College Oaks in Atherton, Calif. in the final game of their Northern California road trip. The Eagles’ Golden State Athletic Conference record moves to 10-2 and their overall improves to 19-8.

The match against William Jessup featured an Eagles team that seemed almost lethargic at times, and the first set of the match against Menlo had that same feel to it. Each side gave up a series of offensive runs to the other team, though Biola eventually coming out with the 25-20 advantage. However, they only hit a .152 kill percentage and committed nine errors with only 14 kills.

Set two proved much better as Biola dominated at the net, tallying 18 kills with only four errors off 29 attempts for an incredible .483 kill percentage. To Menlo’s credit, they stayed close for the majority of the set, but an 8-3 Biola run in the last 11 points put the nail in the coffin.

The Eagles fell slightly back into their old ways in set three, finishing with a decent .231 kill percentage after earning 17 kills and eight errors. Biola had a six point lead at one moment in the set, but a rally from Menlo in the middle of the set tied the score at 17. The score went back and forth from there, until Biola won the final two points to give them the 25-23 set and match win. The final point ended as Menlo opposite hitter Maggie McDonald took a swing that ran smack into the block of senior middle Olivia Sorensen and sophomore outside Hannah van Warmerdam.

Warmerdam had herself quite a game, finishing second on the team in kills with 12, as well as six aces. However, even she could not keep up with junior opposite Karly Dantuma, who finished the match with a fantastic 18 kills and two errors off 27 attempts for an insane .593 kill percentage. Those numbers give her the second-highest amount of kills in a three-set game for Biola this season in addition to the second-best kill percentage for any match for the Eagles this year.

Biola next faces the Westmont College Warriors in the most important regular season match to date. Westmont sits at the top of the conference at 11-0 and is ranked No. 1 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Play starts at 7 p.m. inside Chase Gymnasium on Oct. 25.

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