By Brandon Chinn, Athletics Communications Writer

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Willamette University volleyball team started the Cal Lu Fornia Invitational on a high note Friday, Sept. 11, defeating the University of California-Santa Cruz, 3-1, in its first game of the tournament hosted by California Lutheran University.

The Bearcats won 25-20, 23-25, 25-18 and 25-17 in the four-set affair. Willamette improved its record to 3-2 on the season. UCSC also ended the match with a 3-2 record.

Sarah Fincher (Sr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS) led the Bearcats with 16 kills, while Lindsey Compton (Sr., OH/S, Portola, CA/Portola HS) contributed 10 kills, a team-high 24 assists, and six digs. Freshman standout Kaylen Higa (DS/Lib, Mililani, HI/Punahou School) notched a team-high 13 digs for the Bearcats, who recorded a season-best .328 hitting percentage as a team.

Emma Liband (So., MH, Sandpoint, ID/Sandpoint HS) and Riley Fawcett (Jr., OH, Normandy Park, WA/John F. Kennedy HS) each added seven kills for Willamette. Liband also contributed a team-high three blocks. Alexa Dowdell (Jr., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) contributed five kills and 10 digs.

Statistics for the Banana Slugs were not immediately available.

After taking on Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Friday evening, Willamette will wrap up the two-day tournament on Saturday, Sept. 12 against Whittier College at 2:00 p.m. (PDT) and against host California Lutheran at 6:00 p.m. (PDT).