Paladin

Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Michael Brown [Click to enlarge]

It was another school and another sweep for the Viking women's volleyball team as it swept Santa Monica 25-19, 25-23 and 27-25 on the road Friday, Sept. 5, marking its third sweep in three matches this season.

The Vikings were once again led by sophomore outside hitter Lacy Baker who tallied 13 kills, 7 digs and 3 aces.

Freshman right side hitter Lauren Nieraeth added 6 kills and 5 digs, while sophomore captain and server Grace Chang, managed 12 digs. Even with these standout performances, the players and coaches attributed the victory to a team effort.

"It wasn't a one person win. Everyone contributed. From the starters to the players on the bench who were cheering the entire game," Chang said.

Assistant coach Teila Robertson said, "We have a really deep bench."

The Vikings maintained a steady hold on the match until the third game, where Santa Monica pushed its lead to 22-17.

However, the Vikes showed poise and managed to overcome the 5-point deficit to clinch the third and final game of the match.

"We showed a lot of character. They tested us, but we came back and proved we were up to the challenge," head coach Suzie Witmer said.

The Vikings will take their 3-0 record to Scottsdale, Ariz. Friday, Sept. 12 for a tough tournament filled with schools with scholarship athletes.

"I love to play the other schools that have scholarships. It's going to be high-level competition, but it's going to be fun. It's good for the girls to get challenged and after we return, we should improve by 100 percent," Witmer said.

The road trip will mark the second year the Vikings will have taken part in the Arizona tournament.

The tournament will serve as a testing ground for different lineups and formations that Coach Witmer can tinker with in her six scheduled matches.

Besides gaining valuable experience on the court, Witmer thinks the road trip will provide something much more.

She said, "It's going to be a great team building experience. Some of these girls haven't visited much farther than Long Beach, so it's going to be a good experience outside of sports."

The Vikings are scheduled to face Chaffey on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 5 p.m. in the Small Gym.

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