Poets finish 2-2 at CCNY Tournament

NEW YORK - The Whittier College volleyball team went 2-2 over the weekend at the City College of New York Tournament. The Poets earned victories over Mt. Aloysius and Clark (Mass.) on Friday afternoon and lost a five-set battle with host CCNY and a four-set match with Richard Stockton.

The Poets (9-13) opened the tournament with a 20-25, 23-25, 25-14, 25-15, 15-12, come-from-behind, victory over Clark (Mass.). Whittier trailed 2-0 but fought back to force a fifth and decisive set.

Aya Nakano tallied a match-high 20 kills and added 16 digs and three aces to lead the Poets. Natalie Barajas recorded 13 kills and had seven digs and four aces.

Vanessa Amran distributed 46 assists in the first game.

The Poets returned to the courts to face Mt. Aloysius and rolled to a 25-7, 26-24, 25-10 win. Barajas had a match-high eight kills, Shannon Orlins chipped in with six kills and Michelle Gayhart tallied six kills on seven attempts for a .714 attacking percentage.

On Saturday, the purple and gold got down early to City College, 2-0, but was able to force a fifth set. CCNY won the first two sets, 25-23, 25-20 and Whittier answered with a 25-21 and 25-20 win to even the score at 2-2.

The host team held on in the final set, 15-7, to earn the win.

Nakano had 19 kills and Orlins finished with 13. Orlins also added three total blocks. Amran finished with 43 assists and 10 digs.

In the final match of the tournament the Poets lost, 25-23, 26-24, 20-25, 25-18 to Richard Stockton. Stockton finished the tournament undefeated.

Nakano had 22 kills in the loss and had 17 digs and two aces. Orlins tallied 10 kills and had four total blocks. Amran finished the afternoon with a 36-assist performance to go along with three total blocks.

Barajas and Justine Martinez had 16 and 15 digs each, respectively, in the loss.

The Poets return to action on Tuesday, October 27, as they travel to face Occidental at 7:30 pm.

Photo by: Tony Leon/Action West Photography