LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Whittier (15-8, 7-4 SCIAC) edged Occidental College (4-14, 2-8 SCIAC) in a five-set clash on Saturday at Rush Gymnasium, with scores of 25-18, 22-25, 22-25, 25-15, and 15-13.

The first set began with Occidental gaining an early lead, thanks to a block by Corinne Van Haeren and Abby Werbel, resulting in a 1-0 advantage. Whittier responded quickly, taking several points in succession to move ahead. Ariana Carranza kept the Tigers in the hunt with a kill from Lila Payne, leveling the score at 2-2. However, Whittier capitalized on a series of attack errors and service aces to build a 7-3 lead.

Occidental found momentum with a series of plays, including a kill by Jasmine Shum and another block from Van Haeren and Anna Curtis-Revelle, closing the gap to 8-6. Yet, Whittier extended their lead through effective serves and attacks, reaching a 14-7 advantage. Despite efforts from Carranza and Van Haeren, who both contributed with crucial plays, Whittier maintained control and pushed the lead to 21-14.

In the final stretch, a service ace by Curtis-Revelle offered a brief rally for the Tigers, bringing the score to 24-18. Nevertheless, Whittier concluded the set at 25-18 with a decisive point, securing the first set lead.

Occidental gained momentum in the second set with strong performances from Carranza and Shum. Despite an early setback with Whittier taking a lead, Carranza's kill, assisted by Payne, and a subsequent kill by Van Haeren helped close the gap. Whittier responded with a series of points, but the Tigers' consistent pressure, highlighted by Shum's multiple kills and a service ace, kept them competitive.

Midway through the set, Occidental found a rhythm with a series of successful plays, including a crucial block by Curtis-Revelle and Sloane Shoop. Shum's consistent scoring, along with Carranza's timely attacks, propelled Occidental into a late lead. The set concluded with the Tigers securing a 25-22 victory, overcoming Whittier's persistent challenge to maintain their advantage.

Occidental gained initial momentum in the third set with an early kill by Carranza, setting the tone for a back-and-forth battle. A pivotal moment came when Shum and Werbel's block capitalized on an opponent's attack error, giving Occidental a slim edge. Midway through the set, a series of attack errors by Whittier, combined with kills by Van Haeren and Shum, allowed the Tigers to extend their lead.

Whittier fought back to level the score at 14-14 through a series of kills and a service ace. However, Occidental responded with a strong finish led by Carranza, who notched multiple kills late in the set. Payne's service ace further bolstered the Tigers' position. The set concluded with a decisive kill by Van Haeren, securing a 25-22 victory for Occidental.

Occidental began the fourth set attempting to regain momentum, with early contributions from Shum and Carranza, each providing a kill to keep the score within reach at 6-3. Whittier, however, responded with a series of points, extending their lead to 9-3 with key plays from Malena The and Hailey Church.

The Tigers' Shum continued to find success, adding another kill, while Eyleen Sanchez delivered a service ace, narrowing the deficit to 17-13. Despite this push, Whittier maintained their lead, capitalizing on attack errors to close the set.

The set concluded with Whittier taking the set 25-15, as Occidental's late efforts were countered by consistent scoring from Sofia Zazueta and Malena The, who helped secure the final points for the Poets.

Occidental began the fifth set with a strong sequence, capitalizing on two attack errors by Whittier and securing three consecutive kills, two from Carranza and one from Van Haeren, to take an early 5-0 lead. Shum added two kills to maintain a steady advantage at 8-4.

Whittier then responded with a decisive run, highlighted by a service ace from Alyssa Gonzalez and consecutive kills from Kylie Ibbotson and Zazueta, overtaking Occidental to lead 10-8. Despite a service ace from Curtis-Revelle that temporarily evened the score at 11-11, Whittier regained control with blocks against Carranza and a final kill from Mia D'Amato to close the set.

The set ended with a narrow 15-13 victory for Whittier, as Occidental's initial lead diminished in the final stretch.

Occidental Top Performers

Ariana Carranza
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- 23 kills
- 23 digs
- 25.0 points
- one service ace

Jasmine Shum
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- 21 kills
- 23.5 points
- one solo block
- three block assists

Lila Payne
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- 32 assists
- seven digs
- one service ace

Abby Werbel
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- 10 block assists
- 7.0 points

Eyleen Sanchez
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- 23 digs
- three service aces
- four assists