Roy Powell, junior kinesiology major, makes a kill against Long Beach State University on Jan. 31, totalling 10 kills. Photo Courtesy of CBU Athletics
Although their season is coming to a close, the men’s volleyball team at California Baptist University is playing each game with the intensity they have had from the beginning of the season.
In two of their most recent matches against No. 14-ranked Stanford University and third-ranked Pepperdine University, the team put up a hard fight, but ultimately fell in both matches.
On April 2, the Lancers faced the Stanford Cardinals and took the match to four sets. After losing the first set 25-12, the Lancers were able to boost their morale and win the second set 26-24. They lost the match in the next two sets, 25- 20 and 25-19, but not without a fight.
Wes Schneider, head coach of the men’s volleyball team, said playing on the road at Stanford came with many obstacles.
“One of our starters, Roy (Powell), is pretty beat up and we weren’t sure if he was able to go, but he was able to get out there and hit really well,” Schneider said. “We put up a decent fight, but ended up losing in four over there. It’s a tough place to play.”
The match against Pepperdine on April 4 told a similar story as the Lancers were able to battle back against the Waves in the second set before falling under the pressure. The Waves topped the Lancers in sets, 25-13, 25-22 and 25-16.
Leading the team in each match was Jonathan Tuttle, senior mechanical engineering major and opposite hitter.
Tuttle finished the combined matches with 23 kills, one ace and one block.
“As always, I tried to play my best and enjoy it while it lasts,” Tuttle said. “I think the team played well overall. If we stay consistent, we’ll win some games.”
Though faced with two losses, the team looks at each game as a stepping stone in the success of future seasons. Schneider said he is proud of the way the team played.
“We played a pretty good game, but they played really well, almost flawless,” Schneider said of Pepperdine. “I was really proud of the way the guys played. It was a good-fought game and I was really happy with the way the guys fought.”
The Lancers are now 6-20 overall and 2-18 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
The last two games of the men’s vollyeball season will be against the University of Southern California Trojans. The Lancers have played against a few other large schools so far this season, and their last two games will be hard-fought just as the rest have been.
