LOS ANGELES — Four Occidental women's volleyball players had double-digit kills as the Tigers beat Whittier 3-1 at Rush Gym on Tuesday, 25-9, 18-25, 29-27, 25-12.

Claire Strohm had a team-high 13, Cassandra Guidice and Hannah Wagner each chipped in 12 and Amanda Herold had 11.

Oxy setter Tiareh Cruz finished with 41 assists and 13 digs.

The Tigers had 11 aces as a team. Wagner had four, Strohm had three, and Cruz and Herold had two.

Rebecca Slattery led the Poets with 18 kills.

Season Impact: Oxy improves to 7-9 on the season and moves into a tie for fourth place at 4-4 in SCIAC. 

Whittier falls to 5-12 and 3-5.

Turning Point: Trailing 27-26 in the third set, Claire Strohm scored a nifty tip shot to get the Tigers back to even. It changed the momentum back in Oxy's favor and Whittier followed it up with an attacking error.

Play of the Game: After Strohm's tip and a Whittier error put Oxy up 28-27 in Game 3, Cruz caught the entire Poets side of the net off guard with a dump shot for the win, putting Oxy up 2-1 in the match.

Game 1: The Tigers played some of their best volleyball of the season, crushing the Poets 25-9 in the first set. Wagner led the way with five kills on .500 hitting, and Guidice and Herold each added three. Herold also had five digs and two aces in the set.

Whittier got the majority of its offense from Slattery, who had four kills.

Game 2: Slattery and Olive Anagu led the Poets with five kills each as Whittier tied the match with a comfortable win. Oxy got three kills from Strohm and Herold.

Game 3: Trailing 27-26, Strohm evened the game with a sneaky tip shot, Whittier followed it up with an attacking error and then Cruz put the game to bed with a dump shot.

Strohm led Oxy with six kills in the set and Cruz had 13 assists, an ace, and six digs.

Game 4: The Tigers rode their Game 3 momentum to a 9-1 lead, continuing on to an 18-4 lead, and finishing with an easy win in the fourth set.

Next Match: Oxy has a week off before beginning the second round of SCIAC play against Redlands on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. at Rush Gym.