Big First Set Propels Pirates Past Boxers
Box Score
SPOKANE, Wash. – Pacific could not get past a strong night by Whitworth's Ka'ipo Rocha Saturday as the Boxers fell in three sets to the Pirates, 25-17, 25-23, 25-19, in Northwest Conference volleyball action at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.
Rocha registered 15 kills and seven blocks and hit .306 for the match as the Pirates (7-4, 1-1 NWC) finished hitting .181 as a team. Whitworth never trailed in the first two sets, but fought off stiff challenges from a much-improved Pacific squad (7-4, 1-1 NWC) in both the second and third frames.
Kelsy Takashima (Sr., Kaunakakai, Hawaii) led Pacific with nine kills and six blocks as the Boxers managed just a .036 hitting percentage for the night.
Mariah McHolland (So., Renton, Wash.) added seven kills.
Malea Webb (Fr., Spokane, Wash.) finished with 14 assists in her hometown while
Jade Thompson (Jr., Marysville, Wash.) had 11 digs.
Bree Riddle finished with 32 assists to lead Whitworth, while Amanda Grumbach added 15 digs.
Whitworth never trailed in the opening set and opened up an early 9-2 lead on Kaimi Rocha's kill. The advantage became 12-3 on a Pacific attack error, one of 24 committed on the night. Pacific would come no closer than five points the rest of the way, cutting the lead to 19-14 on a block by Webb and McHolland. Kaimi Rocha ended the set with a kill that gave the Pirates the 25-17 win.
The Pirates owned early control in the second set, building a 17-11 lead on another Pacific attack error. The Boxers, though, showed glimpses of their improved game to make it competitive late in the set. A block by McHolland and
Jowell Guerreiro (Fr., Kailua, Hawaii) started a string of five winners, which was capped by a
Haley Bedell (Fr., Bothell, Wash.) kill to bring the Boxers within 23-22. Kaimi Rocha came up with two of the three final kills in the set to give the Pirates the win.
The third set proved to be a close affair with 11 ties and seven lead changes. Pacific took as much as an 8-4 lead on a block by Takashima and
Alexa Block (Jr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.). The Pirates came back to tie it at 8-8 on Kaimi Rocha's service ace and took a 9-8 lead on a block from Ka'ipo Rocha and Jalana White. Pacific came back to take a 16-14 lead on a Takashima kill, but Whitworth would score 11 of the next 14 points to close the match. The Pirates scored the last six points on the set, punctuated two kills by Amanda Grumbach.
Pacific returns home on Friday for only their second home match of the season, hosting Puget Sound at 7 p.m. They head right back out on the road on Saturday, traveling to Lewis & Clark.
