Bearcat Volleyball Loses 3-0 to First Place Puget Sound

By Sara Elcano, Assistant Athletics Communications Director

TACOMA, WASH. -- The Willamette University volleyball team dropped a Northwest Conference match to host University of Puget Sound, 3-0, on Saturday, Oct. 24. Puget Sound won their tenth match in a row, 25-21, 25-17, 25-16, to improve to 16-4 overall and 11-1 in the NWC.

Puget Sound is currently in first place in the NWC. The Loggers are ranked #24 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Poll for NCAA Division III. Willamette dropped to 7-14 on the season, 3-9 in conference play.

Willamette was able to keep it close throughout the first set. Puget Sound took a 24-17 lead on an attacking error by the Bearcats. Willamette made things interesting by recording three straight points, including a service ace by sophomore setter Emily Compton (Portola, CA/Boise State Univ.), to pull within three points at 24-21 before UPS ended the set with a kill.

The Puget Sound Loggers hit .324 as a team in the second set. Willamette kept the score close early in the set but could not keep up with UPS as the Loggers pulled away late in the set. The Loggers recorded 16 kills in the second set.

The Loggers capitalized on attacking errors by Willamette in the final set to win 25-16. UPS hit .205 as a team compared to Willamette's .023 in the set.

The Bearcats were led by senior Molly Blankenship (OH, Spokane, WA/Spokane Falls CC). Blankenship recorded ten kills and 13 digs for WU.

Compton added 15 assists and two serving aces for Willamette.

Natalie Monro had a game-high 13 kills for the Loggers. Erika Greene accumulated 31 assists for UPS in just three sets.

For the game, Willamette hit .008 and the Loggers hit .194. UPS had nine team blocks compared to the Bearcats one.

The Bearcats' next match is on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore. The match will begin at 7 p.m. (PDT).