By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

NEWBERG, ORE. -- George Fox University won two close sets against Willamette University, and then pulled away in the third set, to defeat the Bearcats, 3-0, on Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Wheeler Sports Complex. The Bruins won 25-21, 26-24, 25-16.

With the win, GFU improved to 4-18 on the season, 3-9 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette slipped to 11-10 overall, 6-6 in the NWC.

Delaney Cruz provided the Bruins with 14 kills, while Kylee Adderson contributed 12 kills and a .345 hitting percentage. George Fox attained 45 kills during the match, while limiting Willamette to 30 kills.

GFU's Payton Shrum amassed 36 assists, while Brynelle Bremmer recorded a match-high 22 digs. Erin Sprowls added 13 digs for the Bruins.

The Bearcats were led by Taylor Lum (So., MH/OH, Honolulu, HI/Maryknoll HS), who produced nine kills and a .429 hitting percentage. Taylor Gee (Sr., MH/OH, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS) earned five kills on just eight total attacks to hit .625 for Willamette.

Peyton Wahl (Fr., LIB/DS, Richland, WA/Richland HS) registered 14 digs for the Bearcats. Lindsey Compton (Jr., OH/S, Portola, CA/Portola HS/Univ. of Hartford) also reached double figures with 10 digs.

George Fox achieved 6.0 team total blocks, including four blocks by Erin Dellinger. The Bruins limited Willamette's top attacker this season, Sarah Fincher (Jr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.), to four kills on 35 attacks. Fincher entered the match with 236 kills on the season.

The first set included 16 ties and nine lead changes. WU led 3-1 following a kill by Alexa Dowdell (So., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS), but the Bruins scored the next two points. A bit later, the Bearcats achieved a 10-8 advantage following a service ace by Lum. Neither team led by more than one point after that until GFU took a 20-18 lead on a bad set by Willamette.

WU scored the next point on a GFU attacking error to get within one point, before the Bruins used a kill by Adderson and a combination block by Adderson and Cruz to gain a 22-19 margin.

A kill by Fincher, plus a combo block by Gee and Elisa Ahern (Jr., Lake Forest Park, WA/Shorecrest HS) cut the lead to 22-21. Cruz tallied back-to-back kills for GFU, and the Bruins ended the set with another block.

The teams were tied eight more times during the second set, which also included four lead changes. GFU took a 5-2 advantage, but Willamette took a 7-6 lead on two service aces in a row by Alexa Becker (Fr., OH, El Dorado Hills, CA/Rider University). The Bruins countered with three consecutive points to move back in front.

Later, Willamette rallied from a 14-12 deficit with a 6-0 run and went on to claim a 23-16 lead. George Fox earned the next seven points to forge a 23-23 tie. The teams also were tied at 24-24, before one kill each by Cruz and Adderson completed the comeback for GFU.

George Fox earned the first four points of the third set and never trailed. The Bearcats cut the lead to 4-3, but fell behind 11-7. Willamette was within three points at 12-9, before GFU went on a 5-0 run to take control of the set.

The Bearcats will return to action on Friday, Oct. 31 at Whitworth University. Match time in Spokane, Wash., is set for 7 p.m. (PDT).