By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications, (503) 370-6110
TACOMA, Wash. -- Lexi Martin (Jr., MH, Bellevue, WA/Interlake HS) earned eight kills for Willamette University against the University of Puget Sound, but the Loggers downed the Bearcats, 3-0, in a Northwest Conference match on Saturday, Oct. 9. Puget Sound won 25-18, 25-22, 25-17. The Loggers upped their record to 11-5 overall and to 5-3 in the NWC. Willamette moved to 6-7 overall, 3-5 in the NWC.
Martin registered her eight kills on just 16 attacks with a .312 hitting percentage. Olivia Cadien (Fy., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy) supplied WU with six kills. Dani Queja achieved five kills, while Emma Porter added three kills and a .333 hitting percentage. Porter also contributed 19 assists. Shyla Sato (Jr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/MId-Pacific Institute) accumulated 16 digs, while Queja produced 10 digs.
Jordan Holman led Puget Sound with nine kills. Sadie Alloway and Avery Allemann each attained seven kills. Samantha Johnson made 10 digs for the Loggers.
Puget Sound grabbed a 7-3 lead at the start of the first set. WU pulled within 11-10 on a kill by Cadien. The Loggers responded with a 3-1 run, but the Bearcats cut the margin to 14-13 on an attacking error by Puget Sound. The Bearcats eventually tied the score at 17-17 on a service ace by Queja. Puget Sound tallied the next six points, including a service ace by Katelyn Cheekina and one kill each by Allemann and Alloway. The Loggers won the set, 25-18.
After three ties early in the second set, the Loggers surged out to an 11-6 lead. A bit later, Willamette cut the margin to 14-13, before the Loggers added three consecutive points. The Bearcats moved within two points at 17-15 on a ball-handling error by Puget Sound, at 19-17 on an ace from Sato, and at 24-22 on a kill by Cadien. The next point went to Puget Sound as the Loggers took the set, 25-22.
The Bearcats were tied with the Loggers at 11-11 in the third set, but Puget Sound added a 9-0 run to forge a 20-11 advantage. The run included one kill by Allemann and ended with two kills by Alloway. The Bearcats were unable to recover, with Puget Sound completing the match with a 25-17 win.
Willamette is scheduled to travel to McMinnville, Oregon, to take on Linfield University on Wednesday, Oct. 13. The NWC match is slated to begin at 7 p.m. (PDT).