By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
NEWBERG, Ore. -- Willamette University and George Fox University battled through five sets before the Bruins edged the Bearcats, 3-2, in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Thursday, March 18 at the Wheeler Sports Center. Willamette's Natalie Klotz (Jr., OH, Bonner Springs, KS/Bonner Springs HS) set a career-high with 21 kills to lead all players, but GFU prevailed, 25-18, 23-25, 23-25, 25-17, 19-17. The Bruins improved to 1-2 overall, 1-1 in the NWC, while the Bearcats fell to 0-4, 0-4 in the NWC.
Each team had chances to win the final set. After trailing 1-0, Willamette took a 5-3 lead that included three kills by Klotz. When Klotz subbed out after completing the front row, the Bearcats remained competitive and built a 10-7 advantage. The Bruins rallied with four consecutive points to move past the Bearcats at 11-10.
Willamette eventually took a 14-13 lead on a kill by Emma Porter (So., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute), but GFU won two points to go up 15-14 and have the next chance to win. A kill by Klotz and an attacking error by GFU, put WU in front, 16-15. Two kills later, the Bruins were in the lead at 17-16. Arianna Khan (Sr., OH/OPP, Yuba, CA/River Valley HS) tied the set at 17-17 with a kill for the Bearcats. George Fox scored the final two points on a kill by Kassandra Staton and a block by Taylor Dekoning and Ashtyn Butler.
The previous high by Klotz for kills in a match was 20 against Whitman College on Oct. 5, 2019. In addition to setting a new mark in kills, Klotz also set a career-high on Thursday with 60 total attacks, surpassing her previous high of 59 versus Pacific University on Oct. 12, 2019.
At GFU, Klotz was followed on Willamette's kill chart by Dani Queja (So., OH, Ewa Beach, HI/Maryknoll School) with 13 kills and by Khan with 12 kills. Shyla Sato (So., LIB, Honolulu, HI/MId-Pacific Institute) topped the Bearcats with 25 digs and five service aces. Emma Porter (So., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) contributed 43 assists and 21 digs.
Bailey LeBreton led George Fox with 18 kills and a .517 hitting percentage. Butler amassed 17 kills and a .367 hitting percentage to go along with six total blocks. Dekoning provided GFU with 13 kills. Sophia Lawrence recorded a match-high 28 digs, while Laney Search added 25 digs to go along with 57 assists.
Willamette won the first two points of the opening set, but George Fox rallied with the next four points. The 4-0 run started an 11-2 surge by the Bruins that ended with a service ace by Lawrence for an 11-4 lead. A bit later, GFU owned a 14-6 advantage and eventually increased the margin to 18-9 on an attacking error by the Bearcats. WU pulled as close as 19-14 on a kill by Klotz, but the Bruins prevailed, 25-18.
In the second set, Willamette grabbed an 11-7 lead on a kill from Khan that completed a 5-1 run after the teams were tied six times from 1-1 to 6-6. George Fox rallied to move in front 13-12 on a kill by Search.
The teams were tied at 14-14 following a service ace by Willamette's Elena Vasquez (Sr., OH, Kingston, WA/North Kitsap HS). GFU scored five of the next seven points for a 19-16 lead. The Bruins also led 20-17 and 21-19 before Willamette rallied to win the set.
WU's comeback began with a GFU attacking error and continued with a kill by Vasquez. Two more hitting errors by the Bruins gave WU a 23-21 advantage. After Butler tacked on a kill for GFU, Queja added a kill for the Bearcats. Butler recorded a kill to cut the margin to 24-23, but Kyana Benjamin (Sr., MH, Lubbock, TX/Lubbock HS) of Willamette closed out the set with a kill for the Bearcats.
During the third set, WU gained a 4-2 lead through six rallies. George Fox scored back-to-back points for a 5-4 edge, but the Bearcats claimed a 6-5 lead with a kill from Klotz followed by a service ace by Klotz. The Bearcats increased the margin to 12-6 by completing an 8-1 run. Later, the Bruins rallied from a 21-15 deficit to tie the set at 23-23 on a service ace by Piper Harrop. Two attacking mistakes by the Bruins resulted in the Bearcats taking the set, 25-23, for a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Bearcats charged out to a 5-2 advantage in the fourth set, including kills by Klotz and Queja. The Bruins responded with a 6-2 run that ended with a combo block by Butler and Dekoning. WU tied the set at 8-8 with a kill from Queja, but GFU won three consecutive points for an 11-8 edge. Willamette pulled with a single point three times, including 13-12, before the Bruins took a 17-13 lead on their way to a 25-17 victory. GFU registered 18 kills during the set.
Willamette and George Fox will compete against each other again on Friday, March 19. Match time is set for 7 p.m. (PDT) at Cone Field House on the Willamette campus. You can follow the action with a Live Webcast and Live Stats.
