REDDING, Calif. - A triple header of games to begin the first day of the Cal Pac Jamboree saw the Red Hawks fall in the final game of the day against No. 10 Westcliff in four sets.
The Red Hawks took the early 8-5 lead on a 6-1 run as
Jacob Shelton,
Afatia Thompson Jr.,
Dehryn Brown, and
Luke Konjoyan posted kills.
Facing a 15-13 deficit, the Red Hawks scored four unanswered points to take the two-point lead as Shelton posted his third kill of the game, and Simpson benefited from three Warriors miscues.
With the game tied at 20, the Warriors went on a crucial 4-1 run to move into set point territory before a kill by Tiago Silva ended the first set 25-22 in favor of Westcliff.
The Warriors held total control in the second set as they held the commanding 22-16 lead.
But the Red Hawks came storming back as they scored six straight points to tie the game as
David Raffaelli notched three straight aces, Brown posted a pair of kills, and Thompson Jr. added a kill. The second set thriller went beyond the standard 25-point mark as the Red Hawks outlasted the Warriors to take the second set 31-29.
Two straight points, including a kill by Brown, pulled Simpson within one late in the third set before the Warriors closed out the third set victory 25-23 to take the 2-1 match advantage.
Westcliff held onto a two-point advantage before reeling off five straight points to take the 19-12 lead as the Red Hawks' last gasp came on back-to-back points by Brown as he posted a kill and an ace before a kill by Gabriel Pizza ended the match in favor of the Warriors, 25-20.
Dehryn Brown led the Red Hawks with 20 kills to go along with four blocks and two service aces.
Jacob Shelton added five total blocks to go along with six kills in the front row, and
David Raffaelli posted 31 assists to go along with three aces.
Simpson jumps back in action tomorrow with a double header against Pacific Union and Walla Walla at 2:30 pm and 5 pm.
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