FOREST GROVE, Ore. — Willamette rallied from two sets down to stun host Pacific in five sets in Northwest Conference volleyball action on Friday night at the Stoller Center.

The Bearcats completed the comeback win by the count of 20-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-13. The victory keeps the top spot in the conference within sight for second place Willamette as they improved to 8-3 in the NWC and to 12-7 overall. With the heartbreaking loss, the Boxers drop to 5-6 in league play and to 8-11 on the year.

Initially, it looked like an upset was in the making, not a comeback. Pacific, who lost to the Bearcats in three sets earlier this season in Salem, took the first two sets without ever trailing. In fact, the very first time all night that Willamette had a lead of any kind came in the middle of the third set (15-14).

Pacific scored the first seven points of the match and led by as many as nine points in taking the first set, 25-20. They also jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second set and pushed that margin to 11-4. The Bearcats did rally to tie the set at 18-18 but the Boxers pulled away and claimed the game on a kill off the swing of Hannah Herbert (25-23).

The Boxers again roared out of the gates in the third set, leading 5-1, but the visitors quickly closed the gap, taking their first lead at 15-14 and again at 19-18. The game was tied at 21-21 when the longest rally of the night ensued, with the Boxers finally ending the point on setter Emily Farnham's dump kill (22-21). But after a timeout, Willamette tied the match at 22-22 and again at 23-23. The Bearcats closed out the set to stay alive on a block by Alexa Dowdell and Sarah Fincher (25-23).

The fourth set had nine ties before the Bearcats pulled away from a 10-10 draw and never trailed after that. They led by as many as six points before settling for the 25-21 verdict.

The fifth set belonged to Pacific early as they had leads of 8-4 and 9-6, but Willamette then reeled off five straight points off the serve of Lindsey Compton to lead 11-9. The match was then tied at 11-11 and 12-12 before the Bearcats scored three of the set's final four points, capping the evening on Fincher's kill.

Marie Rewick had a season-high 20 kills to lead the hosts, with Ciara Smith chipping in 17. Morgan Mendicino was also in double figures with 11. Farnham had 33 assists on the evening and Jamie Steach added 28. Liz Zablan had a season best 36 digs and Karissa Koma added 19.

Fincher led the Bearcats with 17 kills and Kaylen Higa had 19 digs. The Bearcats were tough at the net, led by Dowdell and Taylor Lum's seven blocks each. Fincher added six blocks.

Pacific, which has won six of its last eight matches, will travel to Tacoma on Saturday to take on Pacific Lutheran in a 7 p.m. match.