After hot start, DSU volleyball team drops third match in a row

Written by Darren Cole
October 22, 2016
Dixie State University vs. California Baptist University, Volleyball, St. George, Utah, Oct. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – A week ago, there was no hotter team in the country than Dixie State volleyball. But what a difference a week makes.

blazerDThe Trailblazers extended their recent slide after opening up the PacWest 8-0., losing their last two matches in Hawaii and falling Saturday night at home to PacWest Conference leader Cal Baptist in five sets,25-18, 21-25, 22-25, 25-16, 15-8.

DSU had hoped to bounce back in the friendly confines of the Student Activities Center. But the Blazers had to do it against the team that took their place atop the PacWest, Cal Baptist. The Lancers used dominant play in the final two sets after earlier taking the first set to take the match.

Dixie State's Kailey Frei (1) and Kayla Chapman (13), Dixie State University vs. California Baptist University, Volleyball, St. George, Utah, Oct. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Dixie State’s Kailey Frei (1) and Kayla Chapman (13), Dixie State University vs. California Baptist University, Volleyball, St. George, Utah, Oct. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

CBU opened the match with three straight points, but DSU bounced back and neither team would lead by more than two until CBU put together a 5-0 runt to take a 21-16 advantage. After the Blazers pulled to 22-17 on a kill from Malary Marshall, the Lancers finished the set on a 3-1 run.

In set two, Dixie Stateheld a 6-5 lead. Then, behind the service of Sidney Brandon and Taylor Duryea, DSU put together a 10-2 run and led 16-7. The Lancers responded with a 9-1 run to pull within one, 17-16. They tied the game moments later at 20-20. Dixie rattled off five of the last six points to close the set, with two points coming on kills from Duryea.

In set three, the Blazers jumped out to a 10-4 lead behind good play from Marshall, who had two kills and a block during the run. They extended the lead to 16-7 behind the service of Jaclyn Condie. The Blazers would maintain a 5-6 point advantage until the end, when the Lancers scored three straight to close the advantage to 24-22 before DSU’s Delayne Daniel’s kill closed out the set.

Dixie State's Delayne Daniel (2), Dixie State University vs. California Baptist University, Volleyball, St. George, Utah, Oct. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Dixie State’s Delayne Daniel (2), Dixie State University vs. California Baptist University, Volleyball, St. George, Utah, Oct. 22, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

The fourth set was all Cal Baptist as it rode the momentum to end set three and got out early against DSU in the fourth. The lead quickly grew to as high as 10 points (21-11) and stayed there until the end, when two consecutive Blazer points pulled them to 24-16. Cal Baptist closed out the fourth on a kill by Lauren Hackett.

“Our passing was not where it could have been,” said Dixie State head coach Robyn Felder. “We did have good service tonight. We were hurt in the middle without Lindsey Garrett, who is out temporarily with injury.”

The all important fifth set again started with a 3-0 run by the Lancers. When it grew to 6-2, Felder called a timeout. The play evened out, but DSU could not close the gap and still trailed by four at 11-7. Felder called her final timeout. But the Lancers would score four of the next five points to close out the match.

“Cal Baptist had a good game plan,” said Felder. “They keyed on Delayne Daniel and frustrated her most of the night. We have been working all week on different shots, but tonight we did not execute. Their attack percentage was .340 against our defense, which is very good. They played well.”

Individually for DSU, Daniel led the team with 15 kills. Duryea and Brette Anderson also had double-digit kills with 14 and 11, respectively. Sidney Brandon led the team with 17 digs. Condie and Daniel had 13 and 12 digs, respectively. Kailey Frei led the team with 48 assists. Duryea led the team with three service aces. Marshall and Kayla Chapman each had three blocks.

Cal Baptist moved to 15-4 overall and 10-1 in the PacWest. The Blazers fall to 8-3 in the PacWest and 12-7 overall. They will host another conference frontrunner, Concordia, Sunday at noon.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @oldschoolag

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darren Cole recently returned to sportswriting after a 20-plus year hiatus. While pursuing other studies, he developed an early passion for sports writing as a senior writer and sports editor for the Ricks College Scroll in 1988-89. Darren has spent the last 20 years writing legal memorandi and appellate briefs. In addition to his legal career, he has also taught legal and criminal justice courses at the university level for nine years as an adjunct professor. Darren is married to wife Lisa, has two sons and is a confessed sports junkie.

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