By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth University won the first set against Willamette University, 25-16, on Saturday, Oct. 23, but barely won the next two sets by matching 25-23 scores to defeat the Bearcats 3-0 in a Northwest Conference volleyball match at the Whitworth Fieldhouse. The Pirates improved their record to 17-2, including an undefeated mark of 12-0 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 7-10 overall, 4-8 in the NWC.

In the first set, Whitworth built a 10-2 advantage and never trailed. During the second set, there were 12 ties and six lead changes. In the third set, there were an additional four ties and two lead changes. Willamette owned a 23-22 lead in the second set and held a 23-20 margin in the third set.

Willamette was led by setter Emma Porter (Jr., Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) with five kills, a .500 hitting percentage, 24 assists, and 12 digs. Dani Queja (Jr., OH, Ewa Beach, HI/Maryknoll School) provided a match-high 11 kills, while Olivia Cadien (Fy., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy) earned nine kills and two block assists. Shyla Sato (Jr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/MId-Pacific Institute) finished with 18 digs.

Maidson Lee topped the Pirates with 10 kills. She also earned eight digs. Katie Barr added nine kills and a .500 hitting percentage, while Cassidy Franklin accumulated nine kills, hit .412, and produced three block assists. Eva Millan led Whitworth with 15 digs. Saylor Anderson, with 20 assists, and Joelle Forbes, with 18 assists, filled the setting duties for the Pirates.

Whitworth's early lead kept Willamette from rallying in the first set. The Bearcats pulled within 12-7 on a service ace by Cadien, but Whitworth countered with a 9-3 run to increase the margin to 21-10.

The hard-fought second set with its many ties and lead changes was led by Whitworth at 12-10 before Willamette went on a 10-3 run that gave the Bearcats a 20-15 edge. The offensive surge ended with two key plays by Sato on a kill and a service ace. Whitworth scored the next three points and eventually tied the set at 22-22 on an ace by Barr. The Bearcats moved in front on a serving error by Barr, but a kill by Lee tied the set again at 23-23. Whitworth added a service ace by Forbes and a kill by Franklin to take the set, 25-23.

Willamette achieved leads of 9-4 and 13-6 following kills by Queja in the third set. Later, the Bearcats claimed a 15-10 advantage on a kill by Lexi Martin (Jr., MH, Bellevue, WA/Interlake HS). The Bearcats also led 18-14 and 20-16 before creating a 22-17 lead on back-to-back kills by Porter and Martin. Whitworth surged back to within 23-22 on a kill by Lee, and then tied the set with a service ace from Forbes. The Pirates moved to match-point on an attacking error by the Bearcats and won the set, 25-23, with a kill by Franklin.

The Bearcats are slated to play at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, on Friday, Oct. 29. Match time is at 7 p.m. (PDT).