By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Olivia Cadien (So., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy) registered 21 kills, Emma Porter (Sr., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) provided 43 assists, and Shyla Sato (Sr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) was credited with 20 digs, as Willamette University outlasted Whitman College, 3-2, in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Friday, Oct. 21 at Cone Field House. The Bearcats won 19-25, 25-16, 25-18, 20-25, 15-9. It was Willamette's second five-set victory over the Blues this season. The Bearcats won 3-2 at Whitman in Walla Walla, Washington, on Sept. 23.

With the win, Willamette advanced its record to 8-9 on the season, 7-4 in the NWC. Whitman fell to 7-13 overall, 5-7 in the NWC. The Bearcats earned a 55-40 advantage in kills and finished with a season-high 15.0 team total blocks. Whitman also blocked well, as the Blues produced 12.0 team total blocks. Both teams ended the match with 78 digs.

Three of Willamette's blocks occurred at key times in the fifth set. The first two were on back-to-back rallies as Nora Wade (Fy., MB, San Diego, CA/Point Loma HS) and Lexi Martin (Sr., MH, Bellevue, WA/Interlake HS) combined to block Kinzie Martinez both times, as Willamette moved from a 7-6 deficit into an 8-7 lead. After the consecutive blocks, Wade pounded out a kill during the next rally to give Willamette a 9-7 edge.

"I want to give a shout out to Nora Wade, who subbed in during the fifth set and immediately got two blocks and added a kill soon after," Willamette Head Volleyball Coach Lily Hallock said.

A bit later, with the Bearcats leading 13-9, Cadien and Kaitlyn Westby (So., MH, Redmond, WA/Eastside Catholic HS) blocked Christina Boxberger to bring Willamette to match point. On the next rally, Sato served an ace to the back corner, as the Bearcats won the set 15-9.

"We had multiple players that stepped up big in tonight's match as a few of their teammates struggled," Willamette Head Coach Lily Hallock noted. "This is a team that supports and cares for one another. If someone is having a hard night they know their teammates have their back. We had a slow and rough first set, in which we hit negative," Hallock recalled. "We turned it around and came out strong in the second set. Olivia Cadien, after not recording any kills in the first set, then had a match high 21 kills and added in six block assists. She was a big part of this victory."

In addition to Cadien's 21 kills, the Bearcats also received 10 kills from Lexi Martin (Sr., MH, Bellevue, WA/Interlake HS), plus six kills each by Westby and Heavenly Tuputala (Fy., OH, Auburn, WA/Federal Way HS). Sato's 20 digs led five Bearcats in double figures, including Porter with 15, Dani Queja (Sr., OH, Ewa Beach, HI/Maryknoll School) with 14, Cadien with 13, and Steele Jasa (Sr., DS/S, Bend, OR/Summit HS) with 10. Sato registered three of WU's nine service aces. Porter's 43 assists were her highest total since providing 48 in a 3-2 win over Linfield University on Sept. 16.

Boxberger and Nicole Kelly led Whitman with 10 kills apiece. Martinez added nine kills. Jamie Bartok supplied a match-high 24 digs, while Teia Magaoay had 14 digs and Jackie Zapanta accumulated 11 digs. Quinn Pulver produced three of Whitman's seven service aces. Magaoay amassed 32 assists.

The first set featured eight ties and three lead changes. Whitman owned a 13-10 margin following a combo block by Boxberger and Lilli Thompson. Willamette tied the set at 13-13 on an attacking error by the Blues, and the teams were tied two more times before WC tacked on a 4-0 run for a 20-16 lead. Whitman won the set 25-19.

Willamette led throughout the second set after building margins of 5-1 and 10-3. The Bearcats kept a comfortable advantage the rest of the way. The Blues reduced the lead from 18-7 to 21-15, only to see Willamette win 25-16. Cadien earned seven kills, a .338 hitting percentage, five digs, and two aces during the set, while Willamette achieved 15 kills.

In the third set, there were five ties and four lead changes. A kill by Cadien created the fifth tie at 5-5. The Bearcats added the next six points for an 11-5 lead starting with a kill by Martin, a service ace by Porter, and a kill from Westby. The 7-0 run also included two combo blocks by Cadien and Westby. WU eventually led 17-9, but Whitman crawled back within 17-16. Willamette held off the comeback by tallying the next four points on its way to a 25-18 victory.

WU trailed for much of the fourth set. The Bearcats took a 3-1 lead, but the Blues grabbed a 10-4 advantage and were in front later 16-8. Willamette cut the margin to 17-15, but couldn't get closer, as Whitman went on an 5-1 run to move toward a 25-20 win.

The Bearcat will play Whitworth University at Cone Field House on Saturday, Oct. 22. Match time is slated for 6 p.m. (PST).