By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Willamette University outside hitters Katey Cramer (So., Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS/Cuesta College) and Olivia Cadien (Jr., Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy) each piled up 12 kills for the Bearcats against Whitman College in Northwest Conference action on Saturday, Sept. 16. The attacking numbers of Cramer and Cadien were unable to offset Whitman's .333 hitting percentage, as the Blues defeated the Bearcats, 3-0, with scores of 25-17, 25-18, and 25-19.
The Blues improved their record to 3-6 overall, 2-0 in the NWC. Willamette ended the match with a 5-4 overall record and a 0-2 mark in the NWC.
Cramer hit five of her 12 kills in the first set. For the match, she earned a .360 hitting percentage with 25 total attacks and just three attacking errors. Emma Porter (Grad., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) supplied WU with 27 assists to go along with 10 digs. Shyla Sato (Sr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) was credited with 13 digs.
Nicole Kelly paced the Blues by pounding 16 kills and contributing 13 digs. She gained a .406 hitting percentage. Teammate Kenzie Martinez tallied 12 kills, while Teia Magaoay recorded 37 assists on Whitman's 43 kills. Jackie Zapanta led all players with two service aces and provided the Blues with 12 digs. Lilli Thompson ended the match with four total blocks.
The Bearcats fell behind in each set and fought to catch Whitman on the scoreboard. In the first set, the score was tied five times from 2-2 through 6-6. The Blues moved in front at 7-6 on a setting error by Willamette and went on to take an 11-7 lead after two kills by Martinez and a service ace by Thompson. Willamette cut the margin to 14-11 with a 4-3 run that ended with a kill by Cramer. Whitman tallied eight of the next 11 points for a 22-14 edge on its way to a 25-17 win.
Whitman surged out to an 11-6 lead in the second set. The margin reached 18-9 before Willamette put together a 4-1 run to pull within 19-13 on a kill by Kaitlyn Westby (Jr., MH, Redmond, WA/Eastside Catholic HS). WU also trailed by just six points at 21-15 on a kill from Cadien. The Blues registered the next two points and went on to win 25-18.
A service ace by Zapanta gave Whitman an 8-3 advantage in the third set. The Blues also were in front 16-8 on an ace by Quinn Pulver. The margin reached 20-10, and then Willamette gradually surged back. The Bearcats eventually moved within four points of the Blues at 23-19 after a block by Tasha Tokairin (So., MB, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) and back-to-back kills by Cadien. Whitman scored the next two points, ending with a kill by Martinez, as the Blues were victorious in the set, 25-19.
The Bearcats will return to Salem to play their home opener against Pacific Lutheran University on Friday, Sept. 22 at Cone Field House. Match time is scheduled for 7 p.m. PDT.
