By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University swept Pacific University, 3-0, in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Saturday, Oct. 11, behind 13 kills from Sarah Fincher (Jr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.). WU advanced its record to 9-8 overall, 4-4 in the NWC, while Pacific fell to 5-11, 1-7 in the NWC.

Fincher led Willamette's attack and she finished with a .321 hitting percentage on the night. Peyton Wahl (Fr., DS/LIB, Richland, WA/Richland HS) recorded 13 digs to help the Bearcats on defense. Willamette also attained 13.0 team total blocks, led by Taylor Gee (Sr., MH/OH, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS) with one block solo and eight block assists.

The Bearcats gained an edge with more efficiency on offense. WU registered 30 kills and just 10 attacking errors on 103 total attacks for a .194 team hitting percentage. Meanwhile, Pacific earned more kills (40), but also committed 16 more errors (26) on 118 attacks. The result was a .119 hitting percentage for the Boxers.

Much of Pacific's offensive troubles were created by Willamette's blocking efforts at the net. After earning just 2.0 team total blocks in the first set, the Bearcats produced 5.0 blocks in the second set and 6.0 blocks in the third set.

In addition to Gee's nine blocks, the Bearcat also received five blocks from Elisa Ahern (Jr., Lake Forest Park, WA/Shorecrest HS) and three blocks each from Fincher and Lindsey Compton (Jr., S/OH, Portola, CA/Portola HS/Univ. of Hartford).

Ahern provided a solid night for Willamette. She recorded six kills, hit .263, achieved two service aces and provided 10 digs in addition to her efforts at the net on defense. Alexa Dowdell (So., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) added four kills and seven digs, while Compton supplied 26 assists.

Marie Rewick led Pacific with 13 kills and was credited with 14 digs. Haley Bedell produced eight kills, while Hannah Smargiassi contributed seven kills and hit .375. Emily Farnham earned 30 assists, while Lia Zablan registered a team-high 17 digs.

Pacific led 4-1 after the first five rallies in the opening set, but WU scored three consecutive points for a 4-4 tie. The Boxers took a 5-4 lead, but Willamette countered with a 6-0 run -- including a service ace by Ahern, two kills from Fincher and one kill by Lum -- to move in front 10-5.

Willamette eventually held a 17-10 lead. After Rewick produced a kill for GFU, the Bearcats answered with four consecutive points for a 21-11 margin. Fincher supplied two kills and a service ace during the run. Willamette won the set 25-14.

The Bearcats owned a 6-3 lead in the second set and extended their lead to seven points at 14-7, after an attacking error by Haley Bedell of Pacific. The Boxers rallied to tie the score at 18-18 on a block by Smargiassi and Bedell. Pacific also tied the set two points later, but WU took a 21-19 lead on a serving error by Jamie Steach and a service ace by Compton.

A kill by Bedell and an ace by Farnham allowed Pacific to equalize the game one more time at 21-21. The next three points went to the Bearcats on a kill by Fincher and two blocks by Ahern and Gee. Bedell earned a kill for the Boxers to cut the lead to 24-22, but Gee answered with a kill for Willamette to end the set.

The third set featured 11 ties and three lead changes. Three straight points, including one kill each by Rewick and Una Areta, gave Pacific a 13-10 lead. A bit later, the score was tied at 15-15 before WU ran off four points in a row, ending with a kill by Fincher, to go up 19-15.

Pacific registered the next point when Rewick provided a kill, but the Boxers never got closer. The Bearcats claimed a 6-3 scoring margin the rest of the way to win the set 25-19.

Willamette will play it's next match at archrival Linfield College on Wednesday, Oct. 15. Match time in McMinnville, Ore., is slated for 7 p.m (PDT).

Sarah Fincher Post-Match Interview