By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Olivia Cadien (So., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy) of Willamette University accumulated 13 kills and 16 digs, while teammate Dani Queja (Sr., OH, Ewa Beach, HI/Maryknoll School) finished with 11 kills and 10 digs, but the Bearcats lost 3-1 to Pacific University, in Northwest Conference volleyball action on Saturday, Oct. 15 at the Stoller Center. Pacific advanced its record to 9-8, including 5-5 in the NWC. Willamette slipped to 7-9 on the season, 6-4 in the NWC.

The Boxers won 23-25, 28-26, 25-18, 25-23, as three of the four sets were decided by the minimum of two points.

Pacific earned a slim 49-47 advantage in kills, while Willamette attained a 78-756 edge in digs. The Boxers amassed an impressive 15 service aces, but also committed 14 serving errors. Shaianne Cambra led Pacific with four aces, while Lacy Churchfield and Mara Murphy both ended the match with three aces. Willamette concluded the evening with five service aces -- two each by Emma Porter (Sr., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) and Heavenly Tuputala (Fy., OH, Auburn, WA/Federal Way HS) -- and the Bearcats had eight serving errors.

Lexi Martin (Sr., MH, Bellevue, WA/Interlake HS) provided WU with eight kills and a .300 hitting percentage, while Kaitlyn Westby (So., MH, Redmond, WA/Eastside Catholic HS) was credited with seven kills and a .455 hitting percentage. Porter registered 31 assists and 12 digs. Shyla Sato (Sr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) topped the Bearcats with 25 digs. Steele Jasa (Sr., DS/S, Bend, OR/Summit HS) made 10 digs.

Murphy was Pacific's top offensive threat with 20 kills. Charlotte Powell added eight kills, while Sarah Hon and Alison Brown each recorded seven kills. Danica Nelson supplied 22 digs and Churchfield followed with 21 digs.

Willamette held a 4-1 lead in the first set, including kills by Martin, Queja, and Cadien. The Boxers took a 5-4 lead before the Bearcats went on a 6-1 run for a 10-6 advantage. WU attained leads of 13-10 on a kill for Queja and 17-13 after a kill by Cadien. Pacific tallied the next six points to surge into a 19-17 lead. The rest of the set was close, with the Boxers claiming a 20-18 margin on a kill by Murphy. The Boxers led 21-20 before Willamette strung together four consecutive kills on attacks by Queja, Westby, Martin, and a second attack by Westby, giving the Bearcats a 24-21 lead. The next two points went to Pacific, but a kill by Cadien provided WU with a 25-23 victory.

The second set included 10 ties and three lead changes and required extra rallies to decide the winner. Willamette led 15-13 after a kill by Porter, but the Bearcats trailed 22-20 after a kill by Powell for the Boxers. Pacific had the first set point at 24-22, but it took an additional eight rallies before the Boxers prevailed 28-26. The final two points of the set broke a 26-26 deadlock, as Powell blocked a Willamette attack for one point and then added a kill on the next rally.

Pacific built a 12-5 lead in the third set. The Bearcats were unable to battle back and the Boxers recorded a 25-18 win. The fourth set saw Willamette claim a 12-6 advantage, forcing a timeout by the Boxers. Later, the Bearcats grabbed leads of 18-12 and 19-13, but an 8-1 surge by Pacific gave the Boxers a 21-20 lead. Eventually, the set was tied at 23-23 with a kill from Sydney Locke (Fy, MB, Federal Way, WA/Decatur HS) for WU. The Boxers won 25-23 following a kill by Murphy and an attacking error by Willamette.

Willamette is scheduled to play Whitman College at Cone Field House on Friday, Oct. 21. Match time in Salem, Oregon, is set for 7 p.m (PDT).