THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF. – Playing against the fifth ranked team in the country in one of the matches, the Linfield Wildcats dropped a pair of matches to begin the Cal Lu Fornia Invitational on Friday. Linfield dropped the first match of the day 3-0 to Concordia (Texas) and fell 3-0 to #5 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the afternoon.
 
The Wildcats fall to 1-5 on the season, losing five in a row. They will continue the Cal Lu Fornia Invitational on Saturday with two more matches.
 
Concordia (Texas) 3, Linfield 0
In the first match of the day, the Wildcats jumped to an early 7-3 lead thanks to three straight attack errors by the Tornados, but an 8-1 run brought the Tornados back into the match.
 
Following the big run in the middle of the set, the Wildcats served back with a 5-0 run of their own, highlighted by a kill from Megan Stanek to take a 14-13 lead.
 
With Linfield up 21-20 in the first set, the Tornados went on a 5-0 run and on a kill by Taryn Alexander, the Tornados won the first set of the match.
 
In the second set, with the match tied at three, the Wildcats shot themselves in the foot with four straight attack errors which put the Tornados in the driver seat, who closed out the second set on a Wildcat attack error, 25-19.
 
Big runs in the middle of the sets were the kryptonite for the Wildcats in the first match of the day as they were up 8-7 in the third set, but two Wildcats errors aided a 5-0 run for the Tornados.
 
The Wildcats were able to get back in the set on a kill by Hannah Waterman pulling them to 22-19, but the Tornados were able to hold off the late run and won the third set to clinch the match win.
 
The woes of accurate attacks for the Wildcats continued as they landed just five percent of their total attacks, while the Tornados were able to land 17 percent.

Leading the way for the Wildcats offensively were Hannah Waterman with eight kills and Sofia Zielinski with 13 assists.
 
Kayla Moss picked up 11 digs, which is a career high for the young freshman.
 
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 3, Linfield 0
Taking on the fifth ranked team, the Wildcats jumped out early leading 5-1 on a kill by Raelynn Hammock.
 
Linfield continued its big run to start the match leading 10-2 on consecutive errors by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
 
The Athenas were not out of the set as they went on a 13-0 run forcing the Wildcats to call a timeout, who were down 15-10.
 
A service ace Maya Nakasone and a kill by Hammock helped the Wildcats get back in the set tying it at 17 and a kill by Regan Dean put the 'Cats up 22-19, but the Athenas closed the set out on a 6-0 run and won it on an attack error by the Wildcats.
 
The second set was the most lopsided of the match, the Athenas won it 25-12, winning the last seven points of the set.
 
The Wildcats had the opportunity to get back into the set being down 9-7, but two straight kills and an error by the 'Cats put the Athenas in great position to win the set.
 
In the final set, a kill by Stanek put Linfield up 5-1, but a service error on the following point allowed the Athenas get back in the set six of the next seven to tie the set at seven.
 
The two teams went back and forth in the middle of the set, with the Wildcats up 17-16, thanks to a kill by Aylea Dixon.
 
The Athenas secured the match winning set winning four of the last five points and clinched their fifth match of the season on a attack error by the Wildcats.
 
UP NEXT
Linfield concludes the Cal Lu Fornia Invitational on the campus of California Lutheran on Saturday, playing Centenary (La.) at 11 a.m. and Colby-Sawyer (N.H.) at 4 p.m.