SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — The Dominican University of California women's volleyball team battled until the final point Saturday night, but ultimately fell to Jessup University, 3-2. It was also family weekend on campus as lots of Penguin families gathered inside the Igloo to cap off the weekend.
The Penguins showcased their resilience throughout the five-set Pacific West Conference matchup, finishing with 62 kills and a .204 hitting percentage. Dominican rallied to win the fourth set, 25-19, to force a decisive fifth set, but Jessup edged out the Penguins in a tightly contested finish.
Alexis Schwartz led the Dominican attack with a career night, recording a match-high 31 kills on 71 attempts while hitting .296. The 31 kills for the San Diego native made history as she now holds the Dominican women's volleyball record for most kills in a match. Kristina Atonio added eight kills, while Trinity Tavita contributed seven kills to help power the Penguins' offense.
Chloe Cruz orchestrated the attack with 26 assists and added three service aces. Melena Wong chipped in 14 assists, helping Dominican distribute the ball throughout the lineup. Defensively, Sophia Bernabe anchored the back row with a match-high 30 digs. Cierra Ray followed with 13 digs, while Schwartz added 11 digs to complete a strong all-around performance.
Dominican matched Jessup with nine service aces and narrowly surpassed the Warriors in kills, 62-60, and assists, 57-56. However, Jessup's nine blocks proved to be a difference-maker against the Penguins' three team blocks.
Despite the heartbreaking result, Dominican showed determination by recovering from a first-set loss and forcing a fifth set with its fourth-set victory. The Penguins will be back on the court Oct. 16th as they travel down to Southern California to play the Sea Lions at 6 p.m.
