(Riverside, CA) There is something about the La Sierra University Eagles that gives the Park University Gilbert Buccaneers fits. They say styles make the matchup and in the three years the Bucs and Eagles have met, the Eagles have made life extremely difficult on the Buccaneers as the overall series between the two teams was tied 2-2 coming into today’s matchup. Tonight was no different as the Buccaneers had to crawl from an 0-2 deficit to pull off the reverse sweep to beat the Eagles 3-2 (25-27, 21-25, 25-23, 25-22, 15-12).
The win puts the Bucs (8-9, 6-5) above .500 in the conference for the first time in a month. The Eagles, who have struggled all season fall to 1-16 overall and 1-10 in the Cal Pac.
This was the first game in 12 days for both teams, but the Eagles looked ready for bear as they came out hot in the first set jumping out to a 9-3 lead as the Bucs still looked as though they were in quicksand as three service aces and two kills paced the early attack from LSU.
The Bucs woke up and went on an 9-2 run to take a 12-11 lead and you figured the Bucs righted the ship. But from this point forward no one had larger than a two-point lead as there were 11 ties and four lead changes through the set.
Last year, the Bucs committed a program record 19 service errors in a loss to La Sierra in Riverside. The first set saw the Bucs commit five serving miscues, including one which gave the Eagles set point and they took advantage winning the next point on serve to take the set 27-25. LSU was the aggressor in set one outhitting Park 16-9 in kills, but also in errors 9-5.
Set two saw both teams struggle with errors as both teams had eight attack errors and despite the Bucs leading by four early 12-8, a 6-1 Eagles run gave them a lead they would not relinquish. LSU held a two kill lead over the Bucs in the set (12-10) which ultimately made the difference.
The Bucs would now have to pull off a feat which they had not accomplished since the 2021 season when they pulled the reverse sweep feat three times. The last time they did it was in the Cal Pac semifinals against Saint Katherine on November 11, 2021, when they won the fourth set 29-27 and the fifth 21-19.
The way the third set started; one might have thought the La Sierra was well on its way to an easy 3-0 sweep as they vaulted to an 11-4 advantage in the third. But the Bucs slowly and relentlessly crawled out from the deep crevasse they had put themselves in going on an 11-4 run spurred by three kills by Railey Druxman, two from Maggie Scranton and one each from Jade Laikona and Mallory Turner.
With the score tied at 15-all the two teams would wage a battle for the next 22 points with five lead changes and six ties before the law firm of Druxman and Scranton polished off the win with back-to-back kills. Park Gilbert had the advantage in kills 15013 in the set, but what made a big difference was the Bucs proficiency on the block. The Bucs posted eight of their 18 blocks for the match in the third set.
The fourth set saw seven more ties and four lead changes as the Bucs over came a 13-11 deficit by going on a 7-0 run to take an 18-13 lead. But just when you thought things were in hand at 21-16, the Eagles posted A 5-0 run of their own to knot the score at 21 and force a Bucs time out.
Out of the TO, Druxman had two kills and Lexi Golleher had an ace before on set point the Bucs block reared it beautiful head again as Druxman and Turner rejected an attack from LSU to seal the set and send the match to a fifth and deciding stanza.
The fifth set started ominously as three attack errors put the Bucs in a 4-2 whole early. But a 4-0 run put the Bucs in the lead for good as the Eagles could not overcome the momentum the Bucs had built. The aggressiveness which had been LSU’s calling card early, was now in the Bucs pocket as they had nine kills in the final frame to go along with six errors. Meanwhile LSU had only five kills and three errors in the fifth.
Overall, La Sierra had one more kill than Park 57-56, but also had three more errors 35-32 in a match which was riddled with errors, just as it had the power of 113 kills between the two squads. Both teams had eight service aces, while the Bucs had two more service errors. To show how tight this match was, Park Gilbert had 111 points overall to 109 for LSU.
Individually, Druxman had a career day, with a career high 22 kills as she moved into third place on the all-time Park Gilbert kills list, passing Makenna Busse. This is Druxman’s first 20-kill match of her career, is the second most kills in a match in Park history and only the fourth 20 or more kill match by any player in school history (Amanda Jonovich, two times, Autumn Wood and now Druxman). She also posted 11 digs for her sixth double-double of the season and 14th for her career.
Turner continues her run of hot play with her fourth consecutive match with double digit kills as she had 10 putaways and hit .300. She also added seven blocks. Turner is now four kills from moving into seventh place on the all-time kills list and three block assists from passing Wieserman on the BA list as well.
Scranton is also moving up the record books as her nine kills today moves her into sixth place on the all-time kills list, passing Kayla Wieserman.
Daniella Miranda-Johnson, not wanting to be left out, moved into fourth place on the all-time assists list, passing Bella Valdez with her 26 assist performance today.
Makayla Simmons also moved up the digs ladder on the Bucs all-time list passing Makenzie Seitz for sixth place after her 23-dig performance. It is her third 20-plus dig match of the season.
Megan Hicks had 10 total blocks for the match which is the second most in school history, just one short of the record held by Busse set in the five-set reverse sweep win with USK back in 2021.
Park Gilbert returns to the court tomorrow night as they take on Westcliff at Legacy Sports Park at 6 p.m. The Bucs lost a tough five-set match to the Warriors in Irvine, Calif., back in September.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
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