Wildcats Outlast Boxers In Another Close Battle
Box Score
FOREST GROVE – Pacific and Linfield engaged in another tight match Wednesday night, and once again it was the Wildcats who did just enough to come out on top as they beat the Boxers in four sets, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23, 26-24, in Northwest Conference volleyball action at the Stoller Center.
After bouncing back to win the second set, the Boxers (2-13, 1-8 NWC) came back from as many as six points down early in the second and third sets to challenge late. Linfield took advantage of two attack errors and a service ace to take the third and pulled away from a 24-24 tie in the fourth with a Bethany Dickey kill and a Pacific attack error to close the match.
It was the fifth consecutive match between the two teams and the ninth time over the last five years that has gone more than three sets.
Alexa Block (So., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) led Pacific with a double-double of 15 kills and 26 digs while Kelsy Takashima (Jr., Kaunakakai, Hawaii) added 13 kills. Danica Thompson (Fr., Sisters, Ore.) came up with 45 assists and seven blocks.
Kelsey Ludin led Linfield (8-9, 6-3 NWC) with 11 kills. Tara Hill and Jordan Johnson each added 10 kills. Cora Hall and Emily Carpenter each registered 22 assists and Samantha Lau added 33 digs.
The first set played out very close. Neither team led by more than two points until Lau served Linfield to five straight points, two off of Pacific errors, to go ahead 18-13. The Boxers rallied to come back with two points, 23-21, on Block's second kill of the night before kills by Dickey and Hill closed out the 25-22 win for the Wildcats.
The second set played out even tighter, but this time it was the Boxers pulling away late. Takashima and Block came up with a big block to make the Pacific lead 19-15 and a McHolland kill kept the lead at four points, 22-18. An overpass turned kill by libero Jade Thompson (So., Marysville, Wash.) and an attack error closed out the strong set the Boxers, who committed just three errors in the frame and hit .314.
Pacific opened the third set in a big hole, finding themselves down 7-2 on a kill by Ludin. The frame quickly swung the other lead with the Boxers tying it at 14-14 on a Lychelle Roberts-Kirby (Fr., Kent, Wash.) kill and took a 17-16 advantage on a block by McHolland and Danica Thompson. Pacific held the 23-21 lead when Linfield scored the final four points to steal the win. Two straight attack errors gave the Wildcats the 24-23 lead and Hill's service ace won it a 25-23.
A similar story line played out in the fourth set with Linfield opened up a 10-4 lead on a Dickey kill. The Boxers slowly and surely climbed back into the frame. Keahi Braginsky-Ahloo (Fr., Wahiawa, Hawaii) tied it a 22-2 with her kill and another Roberts-Kirby and Danica Thompson block put Pacific ahead 23-22. Roberts-Kirby then connected on a kill to move the Boxers to set point at 24-23, but the Wildcats won the final three points, two off of Pacific attack errors, to close out the match.
Pacific closes out a three-match home stand on Saturday, hosting Lewis & Clark at 7 p.m. Linfield returns home on Friday to host Willamette.
