By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

TACOMA, Wash. -- Willamette University libero Shyla Sato (Sr., Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) topped all players on both teams with 24 digs, but the Bearcats fell to Pacific Lutheran University in three sets on Saturday, Oct. 21 at Olson Auditorium. The Lutes won the match 25-23, 25-16, 25-18, to improve to 13-7 on the season, 12-0 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette fell to 11-8 overall, 6-6 in the NWC.

Sato concluded the weekend with a total of 54 digs in Willamette's two matches while averaging 6.75 digs per set. She registered 30 digs in a 3-2 victory over Linfield University on Friday. With the back-to-back solid efforts, Sato increased her career total to 1,924 digs.

Against PLU, Olivia Cadien (Jr., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy) connected for 10 kills, while Katey Cramer (So., OH, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS/Cuesta College) tacked on seven kills. Sydney Locke (So., MB, Federal Way, WA/Decatur HS) pounded five kills with no attacking errors as she put together a .417 hitting percentage.

Emma Porter (Grad., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) supplied 20 assists and recorded 10 digs. Cramer and Riley Cedergreen (So., DS, Nampa, ID/Liberty Charter School) each provided WU with two service aces. Cramer also was credited with five block assists.

Claire Hindman paced Pacific Lutheran with 11 kills. Elle Thomas produced 10 kills for the Lutes. Olivia Evaro amassed 33 assists and 13 digs, while Halle Hetzler led the Lutes with 17 digs.

The first set included 13 ties and nine lead changes. Willamette was in front at 12-11 following a combination block from Syd Bowen (So., OH/OPP, Tigard, OR/Wilsonville HS) and Kaitlyn Westby (Jr., MB, Redmond, WA/Eastside Catholic HS). The Bearcats and the Lutes were tied in the set for the final time at 17-17 after PLU committed a serving error. The Lutes scored next on an attacking error by Willamette and added three more points for a 21-17 lead.

WU eventually cut PLU's margin to 24-23 following a bad set by Evaro. Hindman registered a kill on the next rally to give the Lutes a 25-23 win.

In the second set, Willamette was in front 9-7 on a kill from Cadien before the Lutes went on a 6-0 run for a 13-9 advantage. The Bearcats scored next on another kill by Cadien, but PLU answered with a 12-6 run to close out the set at 25-16.

The Bearcats grabbed a 2-0 lead in the third set, but never regained the lead after Pacific Lutheran scored three points for a 3-2 edge. WU tied the score with a kill by Westby before the Lutes went on a 9-4 run, with a service ace by Sydney Aoki completing the run. The Bearcats cut the 12-7 margin down to 13-10 on a serving error by PLU, but couldn't get closer.

After the error, the Lutes scored four points in a row for a 17-10 lead. Each team tacked on eight points the rest of the way, as Pacific Lutheran earned a 25-18 victory to secure the overall win.

Willamette is scheduled to play on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m. PDT.