By Brandon Chinn, Athletics Communications Writer
SHERMAN, Texas -- Alexa Dowdell (Sr., OH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) pounded out a team-high 16 kills and Kaylen Higa (So., LIB/DS) tallied a match-high 27 digs, as the Bearcats defeated Sul Ross State (Texas), 3-1, winning 25-19, 16-25, 25-18 and 25-21 at the Austin College Tournament.
Willamette improved to 2-3 on the year, while the Lobos remained winless at 0-7.
Higa tied her career-high with the 27 digs. She set the record twice last season, against Pacific Lutheran University on Oct. 2, 2015 and versus Whitworth University on Nov. 6, 2015.
The teams split the first two sets. Willamette -- fueled by an early 11-5 lead -- never trailed during the opener en route to a 25-19 triumph.
Sul Ross State answered, scoring eight of the final 10 points in the second set to win 25-16 and even up the series.
From that point on it was all Bearcats.
With the third set tied at 10 points apiece, kills by Dowdell and fellow senior Taylor Lum (MH/OH, Honolulu, HI/Maryknoll HS), coupled with two errors from the Lobos, gave WU a 14-10 lead.
Sul Ross State failed to climb any closer than three points the rest of the way in its eventual 25-18 defeat.
A similar run in the fourth set lifted the Bearcats to victory. Trailing 7-4 in the early going, Willamette pounded out an 11-2 run to capture a commanding 15-9 lead.
The Lobos eventually cut the deficit to as little as three points at 23-20, but kills from Madison Haley (Fr., MH/OPP, Truckee, CA/Tahoe Truckee HS) and Emma Liband (Jr., MH, Sandpoint, ID/Sandpoint HS) iced the match.
Liband finished with 13 kills for the Bearcats and produced a .706 hitting percentage, while Haley and fellow freshman Lauren Stiles (OH, Altadena, CA/Flintridge Preparatory School) each contributed six kills.
As a team, the Bearcats outhit the Lobos .243 to .230 and gained a 56-45 advantage in kills. Willamette had two more digs (62-60) than Sul Ross State, while both teams finished with 6.0 blocks.
Hugi Candice led Sul Ross State with 15 kills and a .429 hitting percentage.
The Bearcats resume play at the Austin College Tournament later this afternoon against McMurry University. Match time is set for 4 p.m. CDT/2 p.m. PDT.
