By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

McMINNVILLE, Ore. -- Linfield College won a close first set on its way to a 3-0 victory over Willamette University in Northwest Conference volleyball match on Wednesday, Oct. 12 at Ted Wilson Gymnasium. The Wildcats edged out Willamette 25-23 in the first set, and then won the next two sets, 25-22 and 25-19.

With the win, Linfield upped its record to 8-7 overall, including 3-6 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 5-12 overall, with a 3-6 record in the NWC.

Molly McTaggart led the Wildcats with 11 kills and a .281 hitting percentage. Darian Stedman tacked on 10 kills, while Kayla Magbeleta registered a match-high 34 digs. The Wildcats produced a 39 kills and limited Willamette to 32 kills.

Alexa Dowdell (Sr., OH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) piled up 12 kills for the Bearcats and also recorded 14 digs. Dowdell is ranked second in the NWC with 207 kills and 3.51 kills per set.

Kaylen Higa (So., LIB/DS, Mililani, HI/Punahou School) of Willamette provided a team-high 25 digs. Kunani Tuttle (Fr., S/OPP, Anahola, HI/Kappa HS) achieved 16 assists.

The Bearcats took a 4-0 lead to start the match. The run included a ball-handling error by Linfield, one kill each for Madison Haley (Fr., MH/OPP, Truckee, CA/Tahoe Truckee HS) and Dowdell, plus a service ace by Jennifer Lane (Fr., MH/OH, Salinas, CA/Notre Dame HS).

Linfield tied the score at 5-5, and the teams remained within two points of each other for the rest of the set. Willamette held a two-point lead as late as 20-18 on a kill by Lane, but Linfield tied the score at 21-21 on an ace by Stedman.

Two consecutive blocks by the Wildcats gave Linfield a 23-21 advantage, before Willamette tied the game with two plays in a row by Dowdell, who provided a kill and then a service ace. Linfield ended the set with a kill by McTaggart and a hitting error by the Bearcats.

Linfield held the lead for most of the second set. Even so, the set began with Willamette building its second 4-0 lead of the match on the strength of two kills by Lauren Stiles (Fr., OH, Altadena, CA/Flintridge Preparatory School) and one kill by Dowdell. WU also led 5-1, before the Wildcats went on a 9-0 run to take a 10-5 advantage.

A bit later, Willamette trailed 16-10, but the Bearcats put together a 7-2 run to get within 18-17. The Wildcats responded with back-to-back points on kills by McTaggart and Audrey Hyem, but WU countered with two points of its own on a kill by Lane and a block by Taylor Lum (Sr., MH/OH, Honolulu, HI/Maryknoll HS).

After Lum's block, Linfield held a slim 20-19 margin. The Wildcats tallied the next three points on their way to a 25-22 win.

Linfield outscored Willamette 9-5 to begin the third set. WU scored the next point on a solo block by Emma Liband (Jr., MH, Sandpoint, ID/Sandpoint HS), but Linfield surged out to leads of 12-6 and 17-8. The Bearcats got as close as 21-16, but the Wildcats won the set, 25-19.

Willamette will play at Cone Field House on Friday, Oct. 14 against Pacific Lutheran University. Match time between the Bearcats and the Lutes is slated for 7 p.m. (PDT).