By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
McMINNVILLE, Ore. -- Olivia Cadien (So., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy) led all players with 22 kills as she helped Willamette University open Northwest Conference play by edging out Linfield University, 3-2, on Friday, Sept. 16 at Ted Wilson Gymnasium. The Bearcats won 26-24, 22-25, 25-15, 22-15, 15-12, using a close victory in the first set, a sizable win in the third set, and a clinching win in the fifth set to take the match. WU moved to 1-0 in the NWC and to 2-5 overall. Linfield slipped to 4-3 on the season, 0-1 in the NWC.
In the fifth set, WU trailed 6-4 after 10 rallies , but outscored the Wildcats 11-6 the rest of the way. Two service aces in a row by Heavenly Tuputala (Fy., OH, Auburn, WA/Federal Way HS) provided the Bearcats with a 7-6 lead. After Linfield scored to even the set, Willamette ran off four consecutive points for an 11-7 advantage. The Wildcats put together a 4-0 surge of their own to regain a tie at 11-11. A service error put the Bearcats back in front, and Sydney Locke (Fy, MB, Federal Way, WA/Decatur HS) followed with a kill for a 13-11 lead. The teams exchanged attacking errors, leaving WU with a 14-12 edge, before Linfield's 18th serving error ended the match.
Cadien's 22 kills were a career-high, surpassing her 17 kills at George Fox University on Oct. 29, 2021. She also tied for the sixth most kills by a Willamette player in a rally-scored match since 2006. On Friday, Dani Queja (Sr., OH, Ewa Beach, HI/Maryknoll School) tacked on 14 kills, while Emma Porter (Sr., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) and Locke each supplied eight kills.
Porter hit .364 with no attacking errors while playing setter. She also contributed 48 assists and nine digs. Porter now has 1,998 career assists.
Shyla Sato (Sr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) was credited with a match-high 31 digs and also recorded three service aces. Steele Jasa (Sr., DS/S, Bend, OR/Summit HS) earned 18 digs, while Queja added 17 digs.
"I saw a side of our team tonight that I hadn't seen yet this season," Willamette Head Volleyball Coach Lily Hallock said. "So many of them performed impressively on the court, and the energy from the whole team was palpable. After the match, the team commented that they felt in control the whole time. It's so great to see them have that confidence in the first conference match of the season."
Linfield's top attacker was Raelynn Hammock, who registered 14 kills to go along with 16 digs. Marina Erosa produced 11 kills and Kara Thomas had nine kills. Paige Richards matched Hammock with 16 digs. Ellie Mead achieved four block assists and five block solos. The Wildcats amassed eight block solos and 15.0 team total blocks, compared to 5.0 team total blocks for Willamette.
The Bearcats offset Linfield's advantage in blocks by achieving a 62-45 margin in kills and an 84-71 lead in digs. While Linfield committed 18 serving errors, the Bearcats had six fewer with 12 serving errors. The hitting percentages were close with WU at .172 and Linfield at .167.
There were 10 ties and four lead changes in the first set. Overall the set included only four points with one team leading by three or more points. Willamette held a 7-5 lead before Linfield went on a 5-1 run to move in front 10-8. The Bearcats answered with a 6-0 run that included one kill each by Amanda Bussard (Fy., MB/OPP, Puyallup, WA/Cascade Christian), Porter, and Queja, plus two combo blocks from Porter and Locke.
Linfield eventually took a 20-17 lead on a service ace by Ryli Kalahiki. Willamette won the next two points and went on to tie the score at 22-22. The Wildcats tallied the next point, but kills from Porter and Locke put WU in the lead at 24-23. A service error allowed Linfield to tie the set, but Cadien registered two kills in a row to give the Bearcats a 26-24 win.
The Wildcats zoomed out to a 5-0 margin and later held a 12-2 lead in the second set. Linfield's early success included two aces by Hammock, two kills each by Erosa and Kara Thomas, and three block solos. WU recovered and put together a 13-4 run to pull within 16-15 on a kill by Locke. Linfield extended the margin to 19-15 with a 3-0 surge and later held a 24-19 edge. The Bearcats scored three points in a row to cut the lead to 24-22, but the Wildcats grabbed the next point to take the set 25-22.
Willamette trailed 10-9 in the first set after a solo block by Megan Stanek, but the Bearcats marched into the lead with a 5-0 run that started an 11-2 offensive explosion. The outburst included eight kills -- two each by Locke, Queja, Cadien, and Porter -- plus three service aces by Sato, as WU gained a 20-12 lead. The Bearcats went on to win the set 25-15.
Linfield tied up the match by claiming the fourth set 25-22. The Wildcats held a 12-7 lead after a kill by Hammock, only to see Willamette rally for a 15-14 margin on a kill by Cadien. After three ties, Linfield pulled in front 18-17 and Erosa added a service ace for a two-point margin. The Bearcats moved within one point four times, including 22-21, before a pair of successful rallies gave the Wildcats a 24-21 lead. A kill by Cadien cut the advantage to two points, but a kill by Hammock concluded the set.
The Bearcats will return to action with their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 17 against NWC rival Pacific University. Match time at Cone Field House is set for 6 p.m. (PDT).
