By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110
SALEM, Ore. -- George Fox University won the first two sets, and then outlasted a comeback effort by Willamette University, to defeat the Bearcats, 3-1, in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Cone Field House. GFU won 29-27, 25-19, 21-25, 25-23, as the Bruins upped their record to 5-13 on the season and to 2-8 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 12-6 overall, 7-3 in the NWC.
Delaney Cruze topped the George Fox attack with 18 kills. Erin Sprowls added 11 kills for the Bruins. Setter Payton Shrum earned 39 assists, while libero Kelsea Meters recorded a match-high 29 digs. Shrum and Sarah Davies each produced 16 digs.
Willamette placed three attackers in double figures, as Sarah Fincher (Sr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.) finished with 13 kills, while Riley Fawcett (Jr., OH, Normandy Park, WA/John F. Kennedy HS) achieved 12 and Alexa Dowdell (Jr., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) contributed 11.
Lindsey Compton (Sr., OH/S, Portola, CA/Portola HS/Univ. of Hartford) pounded out nine kills for the Bearcats to go along with 30 assists, 21 digs and four block assists. Libero Kaylen Higa (Fr., LIB/DS, Mililani, HI/Punahou School) and outside hitter Macy Hayashi (Sr., OH, Hilo, HI/Waiakea HS) each registered 25 digs for the Bearcats,
Willamette hit just .098 for the match with 58 kills and 38 attacking errors. George Fox hit .138, while earning 50 kills and committing 23 attacking errors.
The Bearcats played without middle hitter Emma Liband (So., MH, Sandpoint, ID/Sandpoint HS), who suffered a leg injury against Linfield College on Friday (Oct. 16).
In the first set, Willamette took a 7-4 lead, and later held a 14-7 advantage following a service ace by Dowdell. George Fox rallied, eventually pulling within 20-17 on a kill by Cruz. The Bearcats tallied the next point on an attacking error by the Bruins, but GFU countered with a 5-0 run.
Dowdell smacked down a kill to tie the set at 22-22. The teams continued to battle over the next 12 points. WU fought off a set-point down 24-23, and then the Bearcats earned a set-point at 25-24 after a combo block by Compton and Taylor Lum (Jr., MH/OH, Honolulu, HI/Maryknoll HS).
GFU tied the score at 25-25 on a kill by Sprowls, before Willamette stopped two set-points for the Bruins at 26-25 and 27-26. The Bruins won the set, 29-27, following consecutive kills by Cruz and Davies.
George Fox pulled away late in the second set for a 25-19 win. The teams were tied nine times during the set, including 18-18 after back-to-back kills by Sprowls and Cruz. During the next rally, Cruz added another kill, helping the Bruins string together a 7-0 run for a 23-18 lead.
Willamette took a 9-4 lead and remained in front the rest of the way in the third set. The Bruins got as close as 17-15 on a service ace by Izzy Riina, but WU tallied the next five points for a 22-15 advantage. WU won 25-21, with Compton earning five kills and Fawcett supplying four kills during the set.
The Bearcats held a 14-9 margin in the fourth set. A 10-4 run by GFU allowed the Bruins to surge into a 19-18 lead. A kill by Fawcett, plus a block by Dowdell and Compton, gave Willamette a 20-19 edge. George Fox moved back in front with two consecutive blocks and owned margins of 22-20 and 24-21 before winning 25-23 on a kill by Davies.
GFU ended the match with 16.0 team total blocks. Shrum led the way with eight blocks on three block solos and five block assists. Erin Dellinger added seven blocks. Willamette attained 8.0 team total blocks, led by Dowdell with six block assists.
Next on Willamette's schedule is a match on Friday, Oct. 23 at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. The Bearcats and the Boxers are scheduled to get underway at 7 p.m. (PDT).
