By Sara Elcano, Assistant Athletics Communications Director

PORTLAND, ORE. -- The Willamette University volleyball team defeated Northwest Conference opponent Lewis & Clark College, 3-1, on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at the Pamplin Sports Complex. The Bearcats won 25-21, 20-25, 26-24, 25-14. Willamette is now 8-14 overall and 4-9 in the NWC. Lewis & Clark moved to 9-14 overall and 5-8 in the NWC.

Madisyn Leenstra (So., MH, Bellingham, WA/Sehome HS) had a match-high 20 kills. The sophomore earned a .296 attack percentage and helped the team finish the match with a .222 hitting percentage.

Molly Blankenship (Sr., OH, Spokane, WA/Spokane Falls CC) and Carly Hargrave (Fr., OH, Happy Valley, OR/Clackamas HS) earned double-digit kills as well. Blankenship had 12 kills and added nine digs. Hargrave achieved 11 kills for WU.

Setter Brigit Miller (So., Olympia, WA/Olympia HS) earned 46 assists and 14 digs for Willamette.

After winning the opening set, Willamette dropped the second set to the Pioneers to even the score at 1-1. The Bearcats battled back to win the final two sets by hitting .255 in the third set and a blistering .448 in the final set.

The Bearcats' next match is on Friday, Oct. 29 at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash. The match will begin at 7 p.m. (PDT).