By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Willamette University received 15 kills from Natalie Klotz (Jr., OH, Bonner Springs, KS/Bonner Springs HS) and 10 kills from Dani Queja (So., OH, Ewa Beach, HI/Maryknoll School), but Lewis & Clark College defeated the Bearcats, 25-22, 25-21, 25-22, in a Northwest Conference match on Friday, March 12. The Pioneers won after holding slim one-point leads of 23-22 in the first set, 21-20 in the second set, and 23-22 in the third set. Lewis & Clark advanced its record to 3-0 overall, 3-0 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 0-3 on the season, 0-3 in the NWC.
Queja hit .269 and Klotz hit .233 for the Bearcats. Makena Ohlmaier led the Pioneers with nine kills, while Izzy Willis contributed eight kills. Willis earned a .292 hitting percentage, with Ohlmaier hitting .250. L&C's Michelle McGinn topped all players with a .400 hitting percentage on six kills, no errors, and 15 total attacks.
For the Bearcats, Shyla Sato (So., LIB, Honolulu, HI/MId-Pacific Institute) registered 20 digs. Queja finished with 11 digs. Emma Porter (So., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) was credited with 38 assists and 10 digs. Ka'anelaokapu'uwai Pakaki-Pias supplied the Pioneers with 13 digs. McGinn achieved 24 assists.
In the first set, Willamette took an 8-6 lead following a kill by Queja. Lewis & Clark scored the next four points to begin a 6-1 run for a 12-9 advantage. Willamette tied the set at 13-13 with a kill from Arianna Khan (Sr., OH/OPP, Yuba, CA/River Valley HS), but the Pioneers eventually took a 17-15 lead on a combo block by McGinn and Kate Kimbro.
The Bearcats also rallied, using a 4-1 run to take a 19-18 lead, and later grabbing a 21-19 margin following a bad set by Kimbro. The next point was a kill by Kimbro as she started a 4-0 run that gave Lewis & Clark a 23-21 edge.
Willamette pulled within 23-22 on an attacking error by the Pioneers. L&C closed out the set with a kill by Ohlmaier and a block provided by McGinn and Emma Ehlers to claim a 25-22 win.
At the start of the second set, WU took a quick 3-1 edge before the Pioneers tied the score at 5-5 and 6-6. The Bearcats went on a 5-2 run, ending with a combo block by Klotz and Kyana Benjamin (Sr., MH, Lubbock, TX/Lubbock HS), as Willamette moved in front 11-8. L&C countered with a 5-0 run that started and ended with kills by Willis for a 13-11 lead.
The set remained close the rest of the way. Neither team led by more than two points until the Pioneers surged in front 21-18 with a kill by Willis to complete a 3-0 run. Willamette battled back within 21-20 on a service error by L&C and a service ace by Khan, but the Pioneers tallied four of the next five points to take the set, 25-21.
Momentum remained with Lewis & Clark as the third set got underway, with the Pioneers surging out to a 7-1 lead. The Bearcats responded with four consecutive points to cut the margin to 7-5. A 5-1 run by L&C that ended with a kill by Ohlmaier gave the home team a 12-6 advantage. Willamette pulled as close as 13-9 on a kill by Queja.
The Pioneers expanded their advantage to 20-11. Willamette rallied to within 20-19 after a kill by Klotz. Porter served the last seven points of the run.
McGinn registered a kill and Ohlmaier added two kills as L&C crept out to a 23-19 lead. The Bearcats battled once again, this time cutting the deficit to 23-22 on a kill by Khan. The Pioneers won the set, 25-22, following an attacking error by the Bearcats and a kill by McGinn.
Willamette will play two matches against George Fox University next week. The Bearcats and the Bruins will meet in Newberg, Oregon, on Thursday, March 18, before playing at Cone Field House in Salem, Oregon, on Friday, March 19. Both matches will start at 7 p.m. (PDT).