Spokane, WA - Bearcat Volleyball won the second and third sets in their match at Whitworth University but were unable to close out the match and fell in five sets, 25-16, 25-27, 23-25, 25-17, 15-1.  

Whitworth got off to a hot start in set one and took a 10-5 lead on a kill by Megan Lange.  Willamette battled back to tie the score at 12, but the Pirates would take the next six points for an 18-12 and would go on to win the first set 25-16.

The second set would be back and forth with the Bearcats holding an early lead before Whitworth would move ahead 19-15.  Willamette would manage to tie the score at 20 on a kill by Olivia Cadien.  Each team would take a lead in the final moments of the set, but the Bearcats would win set two 27-25 on a service ace by Alyana Hughes, one of four aces on the day from Hughes.

Whitworth would take the opening four points of the third set, but again the Bearcats would battle back and eventually take a 19-15 lead on a block by Nora Wade and Olivia Cadien.  The Pirates made a push to take a 23-22 lead, but Willamette would win the final three points of the set, capping off the 25-23 set win on a kill by Caroline Jameson.

Looking to close things out, Willamette would take a 13-10 lead in set four only to see Whitworth take 14 of the next 15 points for a 24-14 advantage before taking the fourth set 25-17.

Set five was all Whitworth, with the Pirates taking the first eight points of the set and cruising to a 15-1 win in the deciding set.

Olivia Cadien (15) and Katey Cramer (11) led the Bearcats in kills for the match.  The same duo led in digs, followed by Leina Chu and Dream Takemoto with 13 each.  Chu led the way with 34 assists.

Willamette continues its road trip in Eastern Washington when they travel to Walla Walla to play Whitman College on Saturday, October 5th at 6:00 pm.  The Bearcats will play on the road again at Pacific on Tuesday, October 8th, and will return home to face Linfield University on Friday, October 11th, at 7:00 pm.