LA VERNE, Calif. (Sept. 30, 2008) – Three days after facing off with the # 19 Cal Lutheran Regals the Occidental College Tigers traveled to the University of La Verne to play the # 3 ranked Leopards in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action. The Leopards controlled the match winning three games to none at the Franz Athletic Court.

Occidental kept things closer than they did against Cal Lutheran, posting game scores of 25-18, 25-15 and 25-18.

Tigers matched-up with the nationally ranked Leopards early pulling the first game even at 14-14 before ULV used an 11-3 run to tie up the game one win. After La Verne controlled game two, the Tigers clawed back in game three. Oxy managed to stay close at 10-9, but again La Verne pulled away with a 10-3 run en route to a game three, and ultimately match victory.

The Tigers' freshman Gwynne Davis was the offensive leader for Oxy with nine kills while Jamie Nikami was responsible for all 20 of the Tigers' assists in the match.

Defensively Ginger Grimes led all players with 15 digs. As a team Occidental recorded 4.0 total team blocks with junior Ashley Rosenbaum collecting three block assists and Nikami getting a pair. Nikami and Davis finished with eight and seven digs, respectively.

ULV's senior Brianna Gonzales led all players with 14 kills while Yesenia Lopez tallied a match high 27 assists on a night that the Leopards hit .320 as a team. Anna Calmer hit an astounding .571 in the match recording eight kills.

While the Tigers fall to 1-5, 0-4 in SCIAC play the Leopards remain undefeated at 10-0, 4-0.

Occidental will return to Los Angeles on Friday night, Oct. 3,  when they host Caltech at 7:30 p.m. before a formal rally marks the grand re-opening of Rush Gymnasium.