By Brandon Chinn, Athletics Communications Writer

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- It may not have been the best start for the Willamette University volleyball team on Saturday, Sept. 12 against Whittier College at the Cal Lu Fornia Invitational, but the finish was more than enough.

After dropping the first set (21-25), the Bearcats stormed back to win three consecutive sets -- 25-22, 26-24 and 26-24 -- en route to a 3-1 victory over the Poets in Thousand Oaks, California. Willamette improved to 4-3 overall, while Whittier ended the match with a 6-2 record.

Sarah Fincher(Sr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Monogue HS) pounded out a team-high 15 kills, marking the second time in three games that she has recorded at least 10 kills (16 vs. UC-Santa Cruz). Alexa Dowdell(Jr., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) had eight kills while committing just three errors (.200), while Taylor Lum (Jr., MH/OH, Honolulu, HI, Maryknoll HS) and Riley Fawcett(Jr., OH, Normandy Park, WA/John F. Kennedy HS) had five kills apiece.

Setting up a majority of those Bearcat kills was sophomore setter Tynan Gable (Woodinville, WA/Woodinville HS), who tied her season-high with 23 assists. Lindsey Compton (Sr., OH/S, Portola, CA/Portola HS) dished out 15 assists. 

Three Bearcats contributed double-digit digs on defense. Kaylen Higa(Fr., DS/LIB, Mililani, HI/Punahou School) led WU with 16, Dowdell pitched in 11 and Macy Hayashi(Sr., OH, Hilo, HI/Waiakea HS) had 10.

Willamette, which has won two of its first three matches in the weekend tournament, plays California Lutheran University at 6:00 p.m. (PDT) in its final game before Northwest Conference action starts up next week.