Bearcats Block Their Way To Three-Set Win Over Boxers
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FOREST GROVE – Willamette posted one of the best offensive nights of the season Saturday while Pacific had their worst performance of the Northwest Conference season as the Bearcats charged past the Boxers in three sets, 25-15, 25-17, 25-14, in volleyball action at the Stoller Center.
The Bearcats (6-11, 4-6 NWC) were huge at the net, coming up 12 blocks to go along with a .381 hitting percentage for the match. They committed just five attack errors on the night. Pacific finished hitting -.036 for the match and never hit better than .000 in any of the three sets, committing 32 attack errors.
The loss ended a four-match win streak for the Boxers (8-10, 7-3 NWC) and marked their first three-set match in two weeks. All three of Pacific's conference losses have come in three sets.
Marie Rewick (Fr., Honolulu, Hawaii) led Pacific with nine kills with
Alexa Block (Sr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) contributing seven kills.
Megan Zablan (Fr., Ewa Beach, Hawaii) finished with 22 assists and
Becky Sheller (Fr., Gresham, Ore.) had 11 digs.
Danica Reed led Willamette with 11 kills. Madison Leenstra and Shannon Waltz each had nine kills, with Waltz adding an impressive 10 blocks. Emily Compton finished with 33 assists and Kathy Lee Glenn had 11 digs.
Pacific could not seem to get around the Willamette block from the start. The Bearcats opened up an 11-5 lead in the first set on a block by Waltz and Compton, the second they had combined on in the set. Pacific reduced the deficit to 14-10 on
Jade Thompson's (Sr., Marysville, Wash.) service ace, but the Bearcats won the next six points and took the 20-10 lead on a Pacific ball handling error. The 10-point advantage held as Leenstra closed it out for the 25-15 win.
The Boxers opened the second set with a 3-1 lead thanks to
Tiana Greenhalgh's (Fr., Yucaipa, Calif.) kill, but the Bearcats charged right back to take the 9-5 lead on a Pacific attack error. Rewick brought Pacific within 10-9 on a pair of service aces, but Willamette scored the next six points, three on Pacific attack errors, to take back a 15-9 lead. Another five-point run off the serve of Glenn, bolstered again by three attack errors, to take the 21-12 lead en route to the 25-17 win.
An early two-point for Pacific in the third set faded away quickly as the Bearcats rattled off a run of nine unanswered points to take a commanding 12-5 lead. The lead was 18-10 when Glenn served the Bearcats to four straight points and used a kill by Waltz to make it a 21-10 lead. Pacific made a mini-run late with two
Haley Bedell (So., Bothell, Wash.) aces, but a service error closed it for the Bearcats.
Pacific used Saturday's match to participate in Dig Pink Night, a nationwide effort to raise fund and awareness for breast cancer research. The team raised over $1,500 for the Side Out Foundation through a combination of gate funds and donations.
Pacific is on the road for their next four matches, opening up the trip next Friday at Lewis & Clark. Willamette returns home next week to host Whitman and Whitworth.
