KYLE TREMBLEY
CONTRIBUTOR

Playing in its second and third matches in two days, Coach Andrea Leonard’s CSUSM volleyball team continued to impress with a pair of straight set wins at home over Hannibal-LaGrange (MO) and Arizona Christian.

The 15 ranked Cougars improve to 22-6 in their inaugural season. HLGU drops to 11-15, and ACU falls to 12-14.

Despite some service woes, a combined 25 service errors between the two matches, the Cougars looked sharp and in control for the vast majority of Saturday’s action.

With its steady defense and powerful outside hitters, CSUSM is capable of swallowing up teams that lack the size up front to bother their hitters. In the morning match, the Cougars rolled past Hannibal-LaGrange 25-12, 25-18, 25-13, trailing only briefly at the beginning of the second set in a match the home team completely controlled.

The Cougars’ defense was overwhelming, holding HLGU to a negative hitting percentage for the match, allowing just 17 kills against them on 81 attempts. Libero Nichole May led the way as usual, leading the team with 10 digs, with Taylor DeGraaf, 8, Lindsey Sappington, 8, and Lindsey Mitchell, 7, not far behind. CSUSM recorded 8 total team blocks as well.

On offense, DeGraaf and Sappington were unstoppable, recording 12 and 11 kills and hitting .391 and .429, respectively. Alyssa Foster and Taryn Salcedo shared setter duties, recording 18 and 15 assists, respectively.

The afternoon’s match would prove a little more testing, with conference foe Arizona Christian pushing CSUSM at times, particularly in the second set. The Cougars would stay cool and prevail, however, winning 25-19, 25-22, and 25-15.

Lindsey Mitchell and Kara Barkdoll posted very strong offensive numbers. Mitchell tied DeGraaf for the team lead with 12 kills while recording a .524 hitting percentage, and Barkdoll added 7 kills and a .583 hitting percentage. As a team, CSUSM hit .283 for the match.

After the Cougars took the first set, the match hinged on the second. Up just 22 – 21 late in the set, a kill from Mitchell and two from DeGraaf sealed the set, and effectively the match, for CSUSM.

CSUSM will play its final home game of the season this Tuesday, Oct. 25., at 8 p.m. at Escondido High School against La Sierra.

Photo by Morgan Hall