THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Playing close sets as they had been doing all weekend, the George Fox University Bruins dropped a 3-1 decision to Occidental College but rebounded for a 3-1 win over Whittier College on the final day of the Posada Royale Invitational Volleyball Tournament Saturday here at California Lutheran University's Gilbert Arena.

With the split, the Bruins finished the tournament with a 1-3 record, and are now 5-4 overall

Occidental 3, George Fox 1 (25-23, 23-25, 26-24, 25-23)

After dropping all three sets by two points each in their final match against Chapman on Friday, the Bruins played four two-point sets against the Tigers of Occidental, but could only salvage the second set.  The Bruins started slowly, hitting only .102 in the first set, but hit over .200 (.231 and .232) in the last two.

Stephanie Kerr kept the Bruins in the game with a fine offensive performance, smashing 15 kills and hitting .424 for the match.  Cassie Irwin added nine kills and hit .292.  Megan Teigen had 27 assists and 21 digs, while Chelsea Wilson added 18 assists and 19 digs.  Pattie Reeves led all defenders with 26 digs, and Tiffany Burk posted three solo blocks and five block assists.

George Fox 3, Whittier 1 (25-14, 25-23, 19-25, 25-23)

The Bruins finally quit playing two-point sets, but had to battle back from a big deficit in the fourth set against the Poets to keep from going to a fifth set for only the second time this season.  The Bruins posted a .204 hitting percentage in the game, with 51 kills and only 21 errors.

Kerr again led the Bruins offensively with 13 kills and a .323 hitting mark, and Betsy Wilhelm added 10 winners and hit .304.  Teigen posted 23 assists and Wilson had 18.  On defense, Reeves picked up 26 digs, Wilson 15, Erin Campbell 11, and Wilhelm 10.  Burk had five blocks, two of them solo.

Statistics for Occidental and Whittier were not immediately available.

NEXT: George Fox has completed the non-conference portion of its schedule and will begin Northwest Conference play Friday against defending conference champion Whitworth University at 7:00 p.m. in Spokane, Wash.