Boxers Can't Hold First Set Lead In Loss To Bruins
Box Score
FOREST GROVE – After a well-played first set that appeared to give Pacific momentum, the Boxers found themselves out-dueled by George Fox the rest of the way as the Bruins won in four sets, 21-25, 25-11, 27-25, 25-15, in Northwest Conference volleyball action at the Pacific Athletic Center.
The Boxers (2-13, 1-6 NWC) played some of their best volleyball of the season in the opening set, smashing 15 kills and connecting for a .382 hitting percentage. The Bruins rebounded to hit .419 in the second set and seemingly stole the momentum the rest of the way.
Keahi Braginsky-Ahloo (Fr., Wahiawa, Hawaii) and Kelsy Takashima (Jr., Kaunakakai, Hawaii) each had eight kills to lead the Boxers, who finished hitting .096 for the match. Takashima also had five blocks while Danica Thompson (Fr., Sisters, Ore.) had four blocks to go along with her 31 assists. Jade Thompson (So., Marysville, Wash.) had 17 digs.
Eliza Pledger and Kristin Knaupp each had 13 kills to lead the Bruins (7-10, 2-5 NWC), who hit .175 for the match. Ali Todtemeier added a double-double of 46 assists and 10 digs while Pledger came up with seven blocks as George Fox had 12 blocks as a team.
Pacific got off to a hot start in the opening set, building a 16-9 lead on a string of three George Fox attack errors. The Bruins narrowed the gap to 19-17 on a Knaupp service ace, but the Boxers never allowed the Bruins closer than three points the rest of the way. A Takashima kill closed it out for the Boxers in the 25-21 win.
After trading points for the first few rallies of the second set, George Fox broke open the frame with a string of 11 straight points. Two Pledger kills and three Pacific errors fueled the run that put the Bruins ahead 19-7. Pacific would never score off of their serve in the frame as the Bruins rolled to a 25-11 victory.
Despite trailing 13-9 in the third set, the Boxers rallied to have a chance late. Pacific took a 17-14 lead on a string of three George Fox attack errors and held the lead until a block by Pledger and Cassie Irwin put the Bruins ahead 24-23. Pacific held set point at 25-24 before the Bruins scored the final three points, punctuated by Isabel Valentine's kill that gave George Fox a 27-25 win.
Pacific opened the fourth set with a 2-0 lead, but George Fox surged back to take an 11-4 lead on back-to-back kills from Knaupp. The Boxers rallied to come back within 18-14 on a pair of Alexa Block (So., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) service aces, but the Bruins would score seven of the last eight points, including six straight off Jenna Dohren's serve, to take the win.
The Boxers will close out the first half of their NWC schedule Saturday night at Puget Sound. The Bruins play at Yamhill County rival Linfield.
