Leenstra Pounds Out 28 Kills, Earns 20 Digs, as Bearcats Down L&C, 3-1

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Madisyn Leenstra (Sr., OH/MH, Bellingham, WA/Sehome HS) led Willamette University with a career-high 28 kills and a career-high 20 digs, as the Bearcats defeated Lewis & Clark College, 3-1, in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Friday, Oct. 5. The Bearcats lost the first set, but rallied for a 23-25, 25-16, 25-22, 25-23 win.

Willamette advanced its record to 4-10 on the season, including 2-5 in the NWC. Lewis & Clark dropped to 6-10 overall, 2-5 in the NWC.

Leenstra's 28 kills surpassed her previous career-high of 24, set earlier this season against Dominican University (Illinois). Her career-high for digs prior to Friday's match was 16, set against Dominican on Sept. 7.

The Bearcats also received double-digit kills from Shannon Waltz (Jr., MH, Honolulu, HI/La Pietra HS), who earned 12 kills with just two attacking errors on 28 attacks. Her .357 hitting percentage was the highest for WU on the night. Danica Reed (Sr., OH, Arvada, CO/Ralston Valley HS) added seven kills and 16 digs.

Kathy Lee Glenn (Sr., LIB/DS, Murrieta, CA/Vista Murrieta HS) supplied 37 digs and Emily Compton (Jr., S, Portola, CA/Portola HS/Boise State Univ.) contributed 54 assists. Carly Hargrave (Jr., MH, Happy Valley, OR/Clackamas HS) earned six kills and a match-high nine total blocks.

Three Pioneers achieved 10 or more kills. Kateleya Milan led the way with 15 kills, while Alicia Callejo-Black recorded 11 and Jennifer Dowdy registered 10.

Daniela de Kervor finished with 27 digs to top Lewis & Clark. Dowdy added 19 digs, with Milan and Erinn Winstead each earning 18 digs. Leia Matsunaga produced 38 assists.

Neither team led by more than two points for most of the first set. WU held early leads of 5-3 and 7-5, but the score was tied at 11-11 following a kill by Callejo-Black for L&C. WU surged back in front with a kill by Waltz and a kill by Compton. L&C ran off the next four points to take a 15-13 edge.

Several points later the score was 18-18. Willamette tallied the next three points on two attacking errors by the Pioneers plus a kill from Hargrave to go up 21-18. The see-saw scoring continued, as L&C put together a 4-0 run to take a 22-21 advantage.

WU tied the score before the Pioneers used a kill by Milan and an attacking error by the Bearcats to claim a 24-22 lead. Reed put down a kill to cut the margin to a single point, but a kill by Callejo-Black followed, giving L&C a 25-23 win.

Leenstra contributed four kills for Willamette in the first set. Her kill total increased during each of the next three sets to 5, 8 and 11, as she provided momentum that helped WU win the match.

The Bearcats responded with a solid 25-16 victory in the second set. Lewis & Clark took a 10-7 lead, but Willamette used an 8-1 run -- including three kills by Waltz and three service aces by Reed -- to surge in front, 15-11.

Later, WU held a 19-14 margin. After L&C tallied the next point, the Bearcats went on a 5-0 run for a 24-15 lead. The Pioneers recorded their 16th point, and then Reed earned a kill for Willamette to end the set.

In the third set, Willamette overcame a 16-10 deficit on its way to a 25-22 win. The Bearcats launched an 8-1 run, including three kills by Leenstra, to move into the lead at 18-17. Several rallies later, L&C took a 22-20 lead on a combo block by Callejo-Black and Alexi Provost-Shean. It was the Pioneers' final point of the set.

Waltz pounded out a successful attack, before three consecutive hitting errors by L&C and a kill by Reed allowed WU to win the set.

The Bearcats were in front for most of the fourth set, but L&C tied the score at 15-15 and 20-20. Kills by Waltz and Leenstra gave WU a 22-20 edge. After a kill by Milan for L&C, Leenstra tacked on another spike for the Bearcats. The teams alternated scoring on the next four rallies, ending with a kill by Leenstra, as WU took a 25-23 triumph to win the overall match.

Willamette will play on the road again on Saturday, Oct. 6, when the Bearcats are set to take on George Fox University in Newberg, Ore. Match time is scheduled for 7 p.m. (PDT).