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

SALEM, ORE. -- Fresh off a win over archrival Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore., on Wednesday night, the Willamette University volleyball team is ready to host Lewis & Clark College on Friday, Oct. 17 at Cone Field House in another Northwest Conference match. Action between the Bearcats and the Pioneers is set to get underway at 7 p.m. (PDT).

The 25-22, 25-19, 25-22 win over Linfield moved the Bearcats to 10-8 on the season, including 5-4 in the NWC. Willamette and Linfield are tied for fourth place in the NWC standings, two matches behind Whitworth University and the University of Puget Sound, both tied for second place at 6-2. Lewis & Clark is 8-9 overall, 2-6 in the NWC.

You can watch the Video Webcast and follow Live Stats through Willamette's portal on Stretch Internet. The webcast, featuring play-by-play from Mark Colachico, will begin at about 6:45 p.m.

Willamette's top attacker is Sarah Fincher (Jr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.). She is tied for first place in the NWC with 211 kills and is third in the conference with 3.40 kills per set. She owns a .190 hitting percentage and has registered 2.29 digs per set.

Alexa Dowdell (So., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) has contributed 128 kills and 2.13 kills per set this season. She also has provided 2.33 digs per set. Taylor Lum (So., MH/OH, Honolulu, HI/Maryknoll HS) ranks third on the team with 1.28 digs per set and is third with 0.56 blocks per set.

The Bearcat offense is run by setter Lindsey Compton (Jr., OH/S, Portola, CA/Portola HS/Univ. of Hartford), who has achieved 484 assists while averaging 8.49 assists per set. She also supplies the team with 3.00 digs and 0.51 blocks per set.

Willamette's leading blocker is Taylor Gee (Sr., MH/OH, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS) with 1.12 blocks per set (67 in 60 sets). Emma Liband (Fr., MH, Sandpoint, ID/Sandpoint HS) adds 0.91 blocks per set, while Elisa Ahern (Sr., OPP, Lake Forest Park, WA/Shorecrest HS) has provided 0.88 blocks per set.

Ahern and Fincher each recorded 11 kills in Willamette's win at Linfield. The victory avenged a 3-1 win by the Wildcats earlier this season.

Lewis & Clark is led by Kataleya Milan (Sr., OH) with 195 kills and 3.15 kills per set. Isabel Valentine (Jr., MH) has achieved 129 kills and 2.39 kills per set. Alexe Navarro (So., LIB/DS) ranks second in the NWC with 5.77 digs per set (358 in 62 sets).

Milan tops the serving chart for L&C with 23 aces, while Navarro and Emily Drake (Jr., S) each have contributed 21 aces. Drake has earned 5.18 assists per set, while Vanessa Hall (Sr., S) has registered 4.29 assists per set.

After taking on L&C, the Bearcats will play four consecutive matches on the road, starting with a contest at the University of Puget Sound on Friday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. (PDT). The Bearcats will play at George Fox University on Oct. 25, and then take on Whitworth University on Oct. 31, before concluding the string of road games at Whitman College on Nov. 1.