WALLA WALLA, Wash. — Pacific rallied back from being two sets down, only to see host Whitman snuff out the comeback in a thrilling five-set volleyball match at the Sherwood Athletic Center on Saturday night.

The Missionaries won 25-15, 25-22, 17-25, 21-25, 16-14 to earn the season split with Pacific. The Boxers won the match-up in Forest Grove back on Oct. 3, also in five sets.

Whitman, who snapped a five-match losing streak on Friday night with a win over Linfield, improved to 4-10 in Northwest Conference action and to 6-14 overall. The Boxers, who had won six of seven matches two weeks ago, dropped its fourth straight to fall to 5-9 in the NWC and to 8-14 on the year.

After dropping the first two sets, Pacific began a furious rally that would eventually pull them all the way to within a point of winning the match.

Pacific won the third set without ever trailing to begin to reverse the momentum. In the fourth set, the Boxers broke a 9-9 tie with a 9-1 run to pull away and set up the fifth and decisive set.

The shortened fifth set featured numerous ties, including at 8-8, 9-9, 11-11 and 13-13. The Boxers then took the lead at 14-13, but Whitman scored the final three points of the night and claimed the final point on an attack error by the Boxers.

Marie Rewick led the Boxers with 17 kills, while Ciara Smith added 15 and Morgan Mendicino had 11. Pacific had five players with double figure dig totals--Lia Zablan with 18, Anna VanderWeyst 16, Taylor Aguayo 15, Emily Farnham 13 and Rewick 13. Farnham also had 41 assists.

Shae Kanakaole led Whitman with 21 kills and Hannah Linsenmayer led the hosts with 23 digs.

The Boxers will wrap up the 2015 season next weekend, playing at George Fox on Friday and hosting Puget Sound on Saturday. Both matches will start at 7 p.m.