By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Willamette University and Pacific University played a first set that included 17 ties and seven lead changes in a Northwest Conference match at the Stoller Center on Saturday, Oct. 28. Pacific won the opening set 27-25 and went on to down the Bearcat in three sets. The Boxers completed the victory with wins by 25-14 margins in the second and third sets. Willamette was led by Katey Cramer (So., OH, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS/Cuesta College) with seven kills and by Kaitlyn Westby (Jr., MB, Redmond, WA/Eastside Catholic HS) with six kills and a .267 hitting percentage.
Claire Stipsits and Alison Brown of Pacific each registered 11 kills to pace the Boxers. Pacific advanced its record to 7-16 overall, 3-11 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 12-9 on the season, 7-7 in the NWC.
Sydney Locke (So., MB, Federal Way, WA/Decatur HS) added five kills for the Bearcats. Setter Emma Porter (Grad., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) provided 17 assists, 10 digs, and two block assists, while libero Shyla Sato (Sr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) earned 12 digs. Locke matched Porter with two block assists.
Pacific accumulated 34 kills and a .219 hitting percentage. On defense, the Boxers limited WU to 26 kills and a .000 hitting percentage. The Boxers achieved a 6.0 to 3.0 edge in team total blocks. EMily Cheavtharn was credited with 29 assists for Pacific, while Stipsits contributed 13 digs. Danica Nelson tacked on 12 digs.
Willamette led 2-0 in the first set following an attacking error and a ball-handling error by the Boxers. A bit later, WU held a 4-2 lead, but Pacific eventually grabbed an 8-5 advantage. The Bearcats tallied the next four points, including one kill each by Olivia Cadien (Jr., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy), Westby, and Cramer, as Willamette moved back in front 9-8.
The first set remained close the rest of the way. Pacific held a 22-20 lead after a kill by Brown, but Willamette quickly tied the score with a kill from Locke and a hitting error by the Boxers. Tasha Tokairin (So., MB, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) added a kill for WU to put the Bearcats in front 23-22. The Boxers scored next and the teams were also tied at 24-24 and 25-25. An attacking error by the Bearcats put Pacific in the lead at 26-25 and a service ace by Cheavtharn allowed the Boxers to win the set.
Pacific surged out to a 10-3 lead and maintained a solid lead in the second set. The third set started much closer with the teams tied at 8-8. A 7-1 run gave Pacific a 15-9 edge following a kill by Stipsits. Willamette cut the margin to four points twice, including 16-12 on a kill by Heavenly Tuputala (Fy., OH, Auburn, WA/Federal Way HS). The Boxers finished the set with a 9-2 run.
Willamette will take on the University of Puget Sound on Friday, Nov. 3. Match time at Cone Field House is 7 p.m. PDT. It will be Senior Night for the Bearcats, who will honor the team's seniors.
