Loggers Keep Boxers Off-Balance To Win In Three
Box Score
TACOMA, Wash. – Puget Sound's steady and consistent attack kept Pacific off-balance the entire contest Saturday as the Boxers fell to the Loggers in three sets, 25-17, 25-23, 25-17, in Northwest Conference volleyball action at Memorial Field House.
The Loggers (12-4, 7-1 NWC) won their sixth consecutive match by hitting .140 for the match while keeping the Boxers (2-14, 1-7 NWC) from putting too many kills on the board. Pacific hit just .011 for the match and managed no more than 12 kills in any one set.
Keahi Braginsky-Ahloo (Fr., Wahiawa, Hawaii) led all players in kills with 10 to pace the Boxers to go along with seven digs. Danica Thompson (Fr., Sisters, Ore.) added 23 assists and Kelsy Takashima (Jr., Kaunakakai, Hawaii) had four blocks.
Brynn Blickenstaff led Puget Sound with eight kills. Erika Greene had 28 assists, Stephanie O'Connor added Molly Gibson registered three blocks.
The Loggers rushed out of the blocks in the opening set, building the 6-0 lead thanks in part to three Pacific attack errors. The Boxers came right back, though, using two service aces by Alexa Block (So., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) to cut the lead to 6-5. Puget Sound put together two later runs to put the Boxers' out of reach. Jordan Bird served the Loggers to six winners, four off of Pacific errors, to go up 17-9. O'Connor served the Loggers to five more, including two on service aces, for a 22-11 lead en route to the 25-17 win.
Pacific opened the second set with an early lead, going ahead 4-1 on a Loggers' attack error. Puget Sound came back to take a 7-5 lead on Jackie Harvey's kill and went up 15-11 on a Pacific attack error. The Boxers kept things close, though, tying the set at 16-16 on another Loggers' error. The frame was tied five more times, the last coming at 23-23 before a Blickenstaff kill and a block by Greene and Molly Gibson allowed the Loggers a 25-23 win.
The third set played out much like the first with Puget Sound building a big lead and not letting go. After winning the first four points, the Loggers built a 7-2 lead on a Blickenstaff kill. Puget Sound built their biggest lead of 20-11 on another Blickenstaff kill before moving on to the 25-17 win.
Pacific opens the second half of their NWC schedule at home on Wednesday. The Boxers open a three-match home stand against Linfield at 7 p.m.
