FULLERTON, Calif. – The No. 15-ranked Corban University volleyball team showed no signs of rust on Tuesday, appearing to be in midseason form in the squad's first two matches of the 2021 fall campaign. The Navy and Gold dominated in a straight-set sweep of University of California, Merced (25-19, 25-9, 25-9) in the season opener, before defeating Benedictine University at Mesa in straight-sets (25-6, 25-13, 25-9) in the afternoon match.
"It is so exciting to be back on the court again!" said head coach Kim McLain. "We have looked forward to competing in order to evaluate where we are at, and also to improve for a challenging conference schedule. I am very proud of the team and how they are playing as a unit."
In the first contest of the day, the Warriors and Bobcats battled back and forth for the majority of the first set. Tied at 17 in the first game, the Warriors went on a pivotal four-point run, taking a commanding lead and never looking back. From that point on, Corban only trailed for one point in the entire remainder of the match.
Rylee Troutman picked up right where she left off on the heels of her 2020 Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Freshman of the Year campaign. She led all competitors with 13 kills in the triumph, all while attacking at a career-high .458 clip against the Bobcats.
Avari Ridgway ranked second on the Navy and Gold with seven putaways (.217 attack percentage), while Ally Tow and Sarena Bartley each collected five kills apiece. Bartley was particularly efficient on the offensive end, tallying her five kills in just six attempts (.833 attack percentage).
Facilitating the offense, Jadyn Mullen (15 assists) and Ciarra Judson (12 assists) combined for 27 assists. Meanwhile, on the defensive end, Kealani Ontai compiled 19 digs.
In the afternoon match against Benedictine Mesa, Troutman once again stole the show, eclipsing her career-best attacking clip in the first match with an 18-kill (career high), .500 attack percentage (career high) effort in the second contest of the day.
Ridgway (.583) and Tow (.333) each had stellar offensive efforts, as well, notching seven kills each as the Warriors hit at an astounding .452 mark as a unit. Ridgway also led the Navy and Gold in digs, registering 14 to lead the team, while libero Ontai collected nine.
Mullen shouldered the setting load, ending the match with 20 assists.
The Warriors (2-0) will return to action tomorrow, closing out their time at the Hope International Summer Slam with matches against (RV) Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (8 a.m.) and (RV) The Master's University (3:30 p.m.).
Follow Corban Athletics:
Facebook l Twitter l Instagram l Snapchat l YouTube l Email
Download our App: iOS (iPhone/iPad) l Android