Boxers Can't Shut Down Hot Willamette Hitting Game

Boxers Can't Shut Down Hot Willamette Hitting Game

Bookmark and Share

Box Score

FOREST GROVE – Willamette avenged an earlier five-set loss to Pacific in rapid fashion Friday, scoring a three-set sweep over the Boxers, 25-23, 25-16, 25-16, in Northwest Conference volleyball action at the Stoller Center.
 
The Bearcats (10-13, 5-8 NWC) only improved as the evening went on, finishing the night with a .242 hitting percentage and 42 kills in just 12 errors.  Willamette hit .424 in the second set, committing just one error against 15 kills.  Pacific (7-13, 6-7 NWC) also did their best hitting in the second set, but managed to only hit .118 for the match in the loss.
 
Una Areta (Fr., Kent, Wash.) led the Boxers with her sixth double-double of the year, finishing with 13 kills and 12 digs.  Emily Farnham (So., University Place, Wash.) added 24 assists and Becky Sheller (So., Gresham, Ore.) finished with 18 digs.
 
Sarah Fincher led Willamette with 12 kills while Lindsey Compton and Shannon Waltz each had eight kills.  Compton also had 11 digs while Emily Compton registered 32 assists.
 
Pacific rebounded to contend for the first set win after falling behind 11-5 early.  The Boxers came back to come within 14-12 on a block by Mariah McHolland (Sr., Renton, Wash.) and Emily Steach (Fr., Pasco, Wash.).  The Boxers kept the set within three points and tied it up at 22-22 on a Steach kill.  The frame was deadlocked at 23-23 before a pair of Pacific attack errors allowed Willamette to escape with the 25-23 win.
 
The close win proved to give the Bearcats all of the momentum they needed the rest of the way.  Willamette surged to a 10-4 lead in the second set on Fincher's service ace and would eventually extend the advantage to eight, 23-15, on a Carly Hargrave kill, en route to the 25-16 win.  The Bearcats finished with 15 kills in the set against just one error.
 
Willamette bolted out to the 5-0 lead to open the third set, thanks in part to kills by Compton, Fincher and Waltz.  The lead was extended to 19-7 on a Compton kill and became a 12-point advantage, 24-12, on a ball-handling error.  Melissa Lund (Jr., Roseburg, Ore.) served Pacific to three winners late before Taylor Lum closed out the 25-16 victory.
 
Pacific will look to rebound on Saturday, hosting Linfield at 7 p.m.  The game will be live streamed at GoBoxers.com.  Willamette is idol until next Friday when they host Puget Sound.
Print Friendly Version