By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
SALEM, Ore. -- Karlee Duncan of Pacific University pounded out 19 kills to lead the Boxers to a 3-0 victory over Willamette University on Friday, Oct. 7 at Cone Field House. Alexa Dowdell (Sr., OH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) recorded 11 kills for the Bearcats.
Pacific advanced its record to 9-8, including 3-4 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette fell to 4-11 overall, 2-5 in the NWC.
Duncan and Dowdell excelled for their respective teams. Duncan earned her match-high 19 kills with a .357 hitting percentage. Dowdell hit .333, while claiming a double-digit kill total for the seventh match in a row and the 12th time in 15 matches this season.
Pacific finished with 43 kills and a .195 team hitting percentage, while Willamette achieved 35 kills and a .157 hitting percentage. The Boxers received 12 kills from Tiare Kaopua.
Kaylen Higa (So., LIB/DS, Mililani, HI/Punahou School) of Willamette led all players with 19 digs. Lia Zablan accumulated 17 digs for Pacific. Jamie Steach, Pacific's setter, provided 32 assists during the match.
Willamette gained an 8.0 to 5.0 advantage in team total blocks, with Madison Haley (Fr., MH/OPP, Truckee, CA/Tahoe Truckee HS) contributing a match-high six block assists, while Dowdell earned four block assists. Bailey Servoss of Pacific produced one block solo and four block assists.
Four kills by Duncan helped Pacific take a 5-2 lead in the first set. Willamtte scored the next three points to tie the score, then moved in front on a kill by Dowdell. Tynan Gable (Jr., S, Woodinville, WA/Woodinville HS) added a kill to give WU a 7-5 lead.
The Bearcats led 9-8 before a 6-1 run by Pacific gave the Boxers a 14-10 advantage. Willamette pulled within 15-13 on an attacking error by the Boxers, but never got closer, as Pacific won the set, 25-20.
In the second set, Pacific led 4-1 and 7-4. The Bearcats equalized at 7-7 following two kills by Emma Liband (Jr., MH, Sandpoint, ID/Sandpoint HS) and a service ace by Higa. Pacific tallied the next four points and eventually built an 18-11 margin.
WU battled back to reduce the lead to 19-17 on a combo block by Haley and Liband. The Boxers answered with four consecutive points, starting with a kill by Steach and two kills from Kaopua. Pacific took the set, 25-18.
The third set featured 10 ties and five lead changes. The Boxers held a 12-9 advantage after a kill by Kaopua. Willamette tied the score at 12-12 and later took a 19-17 lead.
A few points later, the Bearcats led 20-19, before WU extended the margin to three points with an attacking error by Pacific and a kill by Liband.
Pacific tied the score at 22-22 on a service ace by Steach. The Bearcats advanced to set point at 24-22 with a kill by Kendall Fox (Fr., OH, Dupont, WA/Steilacoom HS) and an attacking error by Morgan Mendicino of Pacific. Two blocks by the Boxers on the next three rallies allowed Pacific to take a 25-24 lead.
Willamette recorded the next two points on kills by Lauren Stiles (Fr., OH, Altadena, CA/Flintridge Preparatory School) and Dowdell for a 26-25 advantage. WU also led 27-26, but Duncan followed with a kill for Pacific. After the Boxers moved in front on a ball-handling error by Willamette, Duncan provided the final point of the match with a kill.
The Bearcats will be in action again on Saturday, Oct. 8, when they are scheduled to take on University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. Match time is set for 5 p.m. (PDT).
