No. 15 Lewis Sweeps NAIA No. 1 Cal Baptist

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - No. 15 Lewis bounced back from a loss to UCLA on Wednesday by defeating a team that swept UCLA earlier this season, Cal Baptist. The 30-23, 32-30, 30-24 victory over NAIA No. 1 Cal Baptist on Friday moved the Flyers' record to 11-4.

The opening set was tied at 15 when three straight Lewis points started a 7-2 Lewis run. The Flyers never looked back from there.

In the second set, Cal Baptist (12-6) scored six consecutive points to take a 21-20 lead after trailing 15-10. Sophomore Matt Gallik (Evergreen Park, Ill./Brother Rice) stopped the stretch with a kill. The teams went back and forth the rest of the way. Lewis turned away a pair of Cal Baptist set points and eventually took the frame with three consecutive points. Gallik assisted on two blocks in the final three-point push.

Lewis took the momentum into the third set, taking a quick 12-6 lead. Cal Baptist fought back and knotted the score at 15. Cal Baptist tied it twice more but could never take the lead. Lewis led 23-22 when they scored six consecutive points to clinch the match. All six points came on Cal Baptist attack errors with three on Lewis blocks.

The Flyers out-blocked the Lancers 14.5 to 9.5. Lewis recorded 42 digs, a season-high for a three set match.

"Defense is a two fold process," head coach Dan Friend said. "We put our defense in a position to get some digs and make blocks. You can't do one and not the other."

Freshman Ian Karbiener (Orlando, Fla./Olympia) had a team-high nine kills and 11 digs. Senior Rikki Garma (Lihue, Hawaii/Ost) also had 11 digs. Senior Nathan Klaas (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) totaled seven kills and eight digs. Gallik finished with six block assists. Sophomore Aaron Flick (North Ridgeville, Ohio/St. Edward) totaled six blocks (one solo).

"The big thing was our offense clicked in the first set," Friend said. "That will be significant if we can get our offense to turn a corner."

Lewis used 13 players.

"With the unlimited subs in NAIA rules we were able to get more guys in and I think that's how we win when different individuals step up at different times," Friend said.

Lewis caps the California trip on Monday by visiting defending NCAA champion UC Irvine.