WHAT A SHOW!

By Brandon Petersen

The Warriors got their revenge — and they did it in style.

Behind a dominant performance and a roaring home crowd that packed Cypress High School and turned the gym into a wall of sound, Westcliff swept No. 9-ranked OUAZ in straight sets Thursday night, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23, flipping the script after being swept earlier this season on the road.

The victory marked Westcliff's first home match of the season and served as a statement performance against a nationally ranked opponent, showcasing both growth and execution since the teams' previous meeting.

"We needed that win back," said head coach Alex Griffiths. "That was kind of vengeance. We really didn't do a good job playing there — that was probably our worst performance of the year at Ottawa. We knew what we were capable of producing. It was just a matter of execution."

While the match opened with some early tension as both teams settled into the atmosphere, the Warriors quickly found their rhythm and seized control behind strong passing, efficient attacking, and disciplined defense.

Westcliff hit .345 as a team, limiting OUAZ to a .135 clip while consistently applying pressure from the service line and at the net.

Gabriel Pizza led the offensive charge with 13 kills, delivering electric swings throughout the match and helping Westcliff maintain momentum through long rallies. Tom Dempsey and Tiago Silva added seven kills apiece, while Rodolfo Biegelmeyer contributed eight.

At setter, Nikos Kalagasidis orchestrated the offense with precision, finishing with 33 assists while also making his presence felt defensively.

"He did great," Griffiths said. "He was freed up in the offense, and our passing was solid tonight, which makes a huge difference."

The energy inside the gym played a major role, as a packed and passionate crowd created the loudest environment of the season, fueling the Warriors through key stretches and adding to the emotional edge of the revenge matchup.

"Being back here at home, representing in front of our local families and supporters, it was awesome," Griffiths said. "It was a great environment."

After comfortably taking the first two sets, Westcliff faced its toughest challenge in Game 3 as OUAZ mounted a late push.

But with momentum hanging in the balance, Kalagasidis delivered the defining moment — a towering block late in the set that effectively shut the door on the comeback and ignited the crowd.

"Well, it better come from his height — he's 6-foot-5," Griffiths said with a smile. "But he did a great job. We were preparing for the outside to go down, and he made the play."

From there, the Warriors closed out the match with composure, completing the sweep and evening the season series with the ranked opponent.

The result not only showcased Westcliff's growth since the earlier loss but also signaled a confident step forward as the team continues to build momentum early in the season.

Join the Dubs Tuesday at Golden West for a showdown with Hope International.

First serve is slated for 6 p.m.