By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- Olivia Cadien (Jr., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy) registered a match-high 18 kills and Willamette University closed out the fifth set with a 7-1 run, as the Bearcats edge past California Lutheran University, 3-2, during the UC Santa Cruz Slugfest on Friday, Sept. 1. The match was played at Kaiser Permanente Arena, home of the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA G League. Willamette prevailed, 25-23, 20-25, 25-17, 18-25, 15-7.

Joining Cadien with double-digit kills for the Bearcats were Sydney Locke (So., MB, Federal Way, WA/Decatur HS) with 15 and Katey Cramer (So., OH, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS/Cuesta College) with 12. The Bearcats recorded 57 kills during the match, while the Regals earned 53 kills. Both squads hit well, with CLU producing a .194 team hitting percentage and Willamette hitting .191 as a team.

Willamette's offense received 37 assists from Emma Porter (Grad., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute), who also provided three kills. On defense, Porter added 16 digs. Shyla Sato (Sr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) topped all players on both teams by accumulating 24 digs. She also earned nine assists. Alayna Hughes (Jr., DS, Eugene, OR/Sheldon HS/University of Providence) of Willamette was credited with 11 digs.

"If you watched just one set of our opening season match you would only get a sliver of the story. Both teams had highs and lows," Willamette Head Volleyball Coach Lily Hallock said. "I hope that we can avoid some of those lows in the future, but it's good to know we can pull out of them. It was exciting to see strong offensive contributions from returners Olivia Cadien and Sydeny Locke, along with newcomer Katey Cramer."

Sadie Peete and Alex Hayes of CLU each supplied CLU with 12 kills. Kira Mortenson added 10 kills for the Regals, while Tess Holbert was credited with 29 assists. Five Regals reached double figures in digs, led by Tarin Rueckert with 18. Peete tacked on 15 digs, while Holbert and Isabella Wade each achieved 13 digs, and Keegan Corley finished with 12 digs.

Willamette held an 8-6 advantage in the fifth set, when the Bearcats put together their decisive run. Kills by Cadien and Cramer extended the margin to 10-6. CLU moved within 10-7 on a service error by Willamette.

The Bearcats tallied the next five points to end the game. First, Cramer pounded down a kill for the Bearcats, giving WU an 11-7 edge. Cramer scored on the following rally as she turned an overpass by California Lutheran into a kill. Riley Cedergreen (So., DS, Nampa, ID/Liberty Charter School) increased the margin to 13-7 with a kill. An attacking error by the Regals pushed the score to match point. Locke scored the final point on a kill assisted by Porter.

As the match got underway, Willamette rallied from a 17-14 deficit to take the first set. WU tied the score at 17-17 on as bad set by CLU and then moved in front on a kill by Locke. An attacking error by the Regals and a kill from Locke to increased the Bearcats' lead to 20-17. Willamette remained in the lead, but California Lutheran pulled within one point at 22-21, 23-22, and 24-23. A kill by Syd Bowen (So., OH/OPP, Tigard, OR/Wilsonville HS) of Willamette gave the Bearcats a 25-23 win.

The second set featured 10 ties and five lead changes. Willamette forced the final tie of the set at 18-18 following a service error by CLU. The Regals responded with two points in a row as Alex Hays registered a kill and then provided a service ace. California Lutheran used the two points to open a 7-2 run that led to a 25-20 victory for the Regals.

During the final three sets, the teams were tied just once and their were no lead changes. The Regals led all the way in the third set, as they extended a slim 7-6 lead into a 15-6 margin. CLU won the set 25-17. Willamette kept the lead throughout the fourth set. The Bearcats surged out to leads of 9-4 and 18-9 on their way to an 25-18 win. In the fifth set, the only tie was at 2-2 when the Regals received back-to-back kills from Rayne Selhorst after WU tallied the first two points. Willamette regained the lead for good at 3-2 on a kill by Locke and led 6-3 after nine rallies.

Willamette is scheduled to play two matches on Saturday, Sept. 2. The Bearcats will take on Hamline University (Minn.) at 1 p.m. PDT and will battle against Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) at 4 p.m. Both matches will be at the UCSC West Fiedl House in Santa Cruz, California.