By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth University received 10 kills each from Emiko Kahler and Lauren Budde, as the Pirates advanced their Northwest Conference record to 11-1 with a 3-0 win over Willamette University on Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Whitworth Fieldhouse. The Pirates also improved to 17-5 on the season. Willamette ended the match at 6-14 overall, 4-8 in the NWC

The Pirates hold a two-match lead at the top of the NWC standings. University of Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran University are tied for second place at 9-3.

In Saturday's match, Whitworth hit .323 as a team with 43 kills and just 11 attacking errors. Kahler and Budde were followed on the attacking chart by Cassandra Mendoza, who provided eight kills. Haley Vick earned seven kills with no attacking errors and a .636 hitting percentage. Erin White contributed 38 assists for the Pirates.

Alexa Dowdell (Sr., OH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) led Willamette with seven kills. Jennifer Lane (Fr., MH/OH, Salinas, CA/Notre Dame HS) supplied six kills and Madison Haley (Fr., MH/OPP, Truckee, CA/Tahoe Truckee HS) finished with five kills.

Kaylen Higa (So., LIB/DS, Mililani, HI/Punahou School) earned a match-high 13 digs for the Bearcats. Tynan Gable (Jr., S, Woodinville, WA/Woodinville HS) recorded 15 assists.

The teams were tied three times in the first six points of the match, before Whitworth went on an 8-2 run to take an 11-5 lead. The Pirates remained in front for the rest of the set. Willamette pulled as close as 21-17 on a kill by Dowdell, but Whitworth scored the next three points on its way to a 25-19 win.

In the second set, the Pirates built an 11-4 lead on the strength of two kills each by Brenna Bruil and Vick, plus one kill each from four other players. The Bearcats trailed by four points at 16-12 on a kill by Lane and at 17-13 following an attacking error by the Pirates. Whitworth closed out the set with an 8-2 run.

Whitworth held a slim 9-8 lead in the third set after Taylor Lum (Sr., MH/OH, Honolulu, HI/Maryknoll HS) pounded out a kill for Willamette. The Pirates pulled away with seven consecutive points and won the set, 25-11.

The Bearcats will play at home in Cone Field House on Friday, Oct. 28. Match time against George Fox University is slated for 7 p.m. (PDT).