Boxers Come Back From One Set Down To Knock Off Bruins
Box Score
NEWBERG, Ore. – Pacific rebounded from a close first set loss to outhit George Fox in the final three and post a four-set win over George Fox, 20-25, 25-21, 25-18, 25-22, in Northwest Conference volleyball action at the Wheeler Sports Center.
The Boxers (9-5, 3-2 NWC) hit just .103 in the opening set, finished the match with a .221 hitting percentage. Pacific also benefited from a healthy amount of George Fox errors. The Bruins (6-8, 1-4 NWC) committed 23 attack errors and 6 service errors on the evening.
Kelsy Takashima (Sr., Kaunakakai, Hawaii) led Pacific with 18 kills and an impressive .548 hitting percentage to go along with three blocks.
Haley Bedell (Fr., Bothell, Wash.) added 12 kills and 11 digs for her first collegiate double-double.
Mariah McHolland (So., Renton, Wash.) and
Alexa Block (Jr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) had 10 kills apiece, with Block adding 18 digs for her seventh double-double of the season.
Erin Campbell was the only George Fox player with double-digit kills, finishing with 12 to go along with 10 digs. Betsy Wilhelm added nine kills.
George Fox managed to stay just a step ahead of the Boxers in the opening set. The Bruins led by as much as five points early in the frame before the Boxers came back tie things at 13-13 on an attack error. Pacific went on to take a 19-17 advantage on Block's service ace, only to watch the Bruins score the nest six points in a row. Pacific hurt themselves with four attack errors and a reception error in the string that saw George Fox go up 23-19 on their way to the 25-20 win.
The Bruins held the lead for most of the second set, but not when it mattered most. Pacific came back from as much as three points down to tie the set at 19-19 on a George Fox attack error. The frame was tied at 20-20 when the Boxers scored five straight points, with Takashima contributing two kills and a block. Takashima then added the final kill to tie the match at one set apiece with the 25-20 win.
Pacific never trailed in the third set and blew the frame open early, taking an 11-2 lead on a Bruins' attack error. George Fox rallied to come back within 13-9 on Cassie Irwin's kill, but would score just three points off of their own serve the rest of the set. Bedell's kill made it a 20-12 advantage and McHolland closed things out late with a kill for the 25-18 victory.
The two teams battled their way through a closely contested fourth set. The Bruins led 19-16 late in the frame Pacific charged back, tying it at 20-20 on a block by Takashima and
Malea Webb (Fr., Spokane, Wash.). The set was tied 22-22 when Block's kill gave Pacific the lead for good. An attack error and a block by McHolland and Block close out the match.
Pacific will look for their 10th victory of the season on Saturday when they host Linfield at the Stoller Center. Start time for the match is 7 p.m.
