Near-Perfect Cal Lutheran Drops Final : Volleyball: The Regals owned a 2-1 lead after three games, but could not finish off defending champion Washington of St. Louis in the NCAA Division III title match.

WHITEWATER, Wis. —  Going into Saturday night’s NCAA Division III championship match, the Cal Lutheran women’s volleyball team knew they needed to play flawlessly to beat the reigning national champion, Washington University of St. Louis.

They almost did.

The Regals played a near-perfect match and almost won their first national title. But the Bears rallied from a 2-1 deficit to clinch their fifth national championship with a 15-6, 17-19, 13-15, 15-11, 15-11, victory.

It marked the first time this season that Coach James Parks’ Regals had lost a match that went five games.

“We played well, we definitely played up to our potential, and it could have gone either way,” Parks said. “One of us had to win, it just wasn’t us.’

Cal Lutheran was never really in the first game, and trailed, 9-4, in the second game before turning things around behind the strong play of junior Tracy Little (20 kills, 18 digs) and senior Darcy White (14 kills, 23 digs).

Ultimately though, the Regals fell victim to the powerful front-court play of Washington’s All-Americans, Shelley Swan, who had one of her match-high 31 kills on the championship point, and Jennifer Martz.

“It definitely could have gone either way, which is why it hurt so much,” Little said. “We came so far unexpectedly.”

The Regals also got outstanding play in the second game from substitute Kim Bauer, a freshman, as well as key blocks by junior middle blocker Karen Kasper, who added 14 kills.

The Regals finished the year with a 27-3 record, while the Bears, who have now won six of the last seven NCAA titles, wound up 42-3.

Little and teammate Liz Martinez, a sophomore setter who had 18 assists in the championship game, were named to the all-tournament team.