Western Wash. WWU 0-1,0-0 Great Northwest

Regis (CO) Regis 1-0,0-0 RMAC

Western Wash. WWU

0-1,0-0 Great Northwest

Final

Aug. 31, 2023

Regis (CO) Regis

1-0,0-0 RMAC

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Western Wash. WWU	22	25	15	20	(1)
Regis (CO) Regis	25	20	25	25	(3)

Regis (CO) Regis 2-0,0-0 RMAC

Cal State LA LA 0-1,0-0 CCAA

Regis (CO) Regis

2-0,0-0 RMAC

Final

Aug. 31, 2023

Cal State LA LA

0-1,0-0 CCAA

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	4	5	F
Regis (CO) Regis	25	25	21	19	15	(3)
Cal State LA LA	21	15	25	25	9	(2)

Darral Freund

Regis outside hitter Hannah Kepler led all players with 12 kills in Thursday's win over Western Washington (File Photo)

Game Recap: Volleyball | Aug 31 | David Wilson, Assistant AD-Communications

No. 18 Rangers knock off two ranked foes on Day One of Yotes Classic Showcase

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — The No. 18 ranked Regis University volleyball team opened its 2023 season in grand fashion Thursday, earning a pair of victories against No. 15 Western Washington and No. 9 Cal State Los Angeles on Day One of the Yotes Classic Showcase.

Regis (2-0 overall) opened the day with a four-set matinee win against Western Washington before concluding Thursday's action with a five-set victory over the Golden Eagles; the defending California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) champions and NCAA Final Four semi-finalists.

"A lot of resilience is the way I think I'd describe (Thursday)," said Regis head volleyball coach, Joel List. "We got in late to the hotel last night, didn't get to practice in the tournament gym Wednesday, and then being the very first match of the day today against a really good team; I thought we showed a lot of resilience and just rolled with the punches."

VS. WESTERN WASHINGTON (25-22, 20-25, 25-15 and 25-20)
Regis showed no signs of jet lag in the season opener as it defeated No. 15 Western Washington in four sets, avenging a four-set loss to the Vikings this time last fall.

The Rangers' defense limited Western Washington to a .016 hitting percentage for the match (33 kills, 31 errors) while four different players recorded six or more kills, offensively.

Junior outside hitter Hannah Kepler led all Regis players with 12 kills on a sizzling .375 hitting percentage, while graduate student middle blocker Nadine Burbrink (10 kills, graduate student right side Klaudia Sowizral (nine kills) and junior middle blocker Amelia Davis (six kills) helped pace the attack.

"I think that shows our versatility and depth. On any given day, we're going to need all our outside hitters. Halle Theis kind of got the match started, Isabella Smith came in and did some good things, and then Hannah really stepped up down the stretch," List said.

Graduate student Mara LeGrand added three kills, 28 assists and 10 digs from the setter position; joining junior defensive specialist Bre Skala (10 digs) and graduate student defensive specialist Haley Kennedy (11 digs) in double-figures.

VS. CAL STATE LA (25-21, 25-15, 21-25, 19-25, 15-9)
The Rangers concluded Thursday's portion of their schedule with a thrilling five-set victory over the Golden Eagles, shaking off losses in Set Three and Set Four to seal the victory.

After dominating the second set, 25-15, the first of two momentum changes occurred as Cal State LA went to its bench and gave Regis a different personnel look.

"We got on our heels a little bit in the third set. Cal State LA made some adjustments with their setter and attackers, and those kids subbed in were very different players and we didn't make quick enough adjustments in those two sets," List said. "But we settled down and came out very aggressive in that fifth set. I give a lot of kudos to Klaudia for taking some big swings and Haley for the job she did at the service line. That's how we were able to build that little spread in the fifth set."

With the Golden Eagles seemingly holding all the momentum coming off two straight set wins, the Rangers thwarted the comeback attempt with a 6-2 burst to open the fifth and final set.

Sowizral racked up three of her team-high 15 kills through the first six points, and Kennedy tallied one ace on five service attempts, to help the Rangers salt away the 15-9 win in Set Five and clinch the match, 3-2.

Davis and Smith each followed with nine kills apiece, Kepler and Burbrink each added seven kills, and LeGrand chipped in five kills to go with her 39 assists.
Kennedy led all Rangers with four service aces while, defensively, she posted double-digit digs with 11.

Also across the back row, true freshman Giselle Cazares led all Regis players with 12 digs in just her second collegiate match.

UP NEXT
Regis will continue the three-day Yotes Classic Showcase with an 8:30 p.m. (Mountain Time) match on Friday against tournament hosts, No. 19 California State University-San Bernardino.

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