The Pacific University volleyball team won its seven straight-set match of the season, defeating Willamette 25-20, 25-17, 26-24 on Friday night in Forest Grove.
The Boxers (16-7, 9-4 NWC) were a balanced attack in the win with juniors MIlana Ivkovic and
Karlee Duncan each with 12 kills to lead a Pacific attack that hit .187. Senior
Morgan Mendicino had a solid all-around match with eight kills, nine digs and three service aces.
The Bearcats (9-14, 6-8 NWC) hit .130 with three-different players – Jaiden Mason, Natalie Klotz and Arianna Khan – who had six kills.
Pacific outhit Willamette in the first two sets, including a .306 hitting percentage in the opening set. Ivkovic had six of her 11 kills to lead the attack for the Boxers. The second set saw Duncan comeback from a zero kill first set to a six-kill and a .428 hitting percentage to lead the Boxers in the second set. Sophomore
Nanea Lum came off the bench for Pacific to have eight digs in the set.
The Boxers closed out the match, winning the third set by a 26-24 margin. Pacific found itself behind for most of the set. The two teams were tied on 12 occasions and saw six lead changes. Facing a set point, the Boxers capitalized on a service error by the visitors and back-to-back kills by Duncan and Mendicino completed the straight-set win. Duncan had six more kills in the set and Mendicino added four in the win.
Next, Pacific will wrap up alumni weekend with a 5 p.m. match against Linfield. On September 29, the Boxers won in McMinville in four against the Wildcats, 21-25, 25-20, 25-14, 25-21.
