Puget Sound, Ranked #19, Defeats Bearcats, 3-1

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

TACOMA, WASH. -- The University of Puget Sound, ranked #19 in the NCAA Division III Poll, defeated Willamette University 3-1 in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Friday, Oct. 11 at Memorial Fieldhouse. UPS improved its record to 11-5 overall, 6-1 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 5-11, 1-6 in the NWC.

Kirsten Brehmer (Sr., MH/OPP, Evergreen, CO/Evergreen HS) topped Willamette's offensive chart with 11 kills to go with a .276 hitting percentage. Sarah Fincher (So., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Montague HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.) added 10 kills and 11 digs for the Bearcats. Lizzy Balding (Sr., LIB/DS, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) registered a match-high 22 digs.

Jackie Harvey led Puget Sound with 17 kills, while Nicolette Reynaud provided the Loggers with 11 kills. Reynaud also earned a .360 hitting percentage, while Harvey contributed 21 digs.

Marissa Florant of UPS was credited with 20 digs. Jenni Brehove, the Loggers' setter, finished the match with 46 assists.

Puget Sound attained a .183 team hitting percentage, while the Bearcats hit .111 for the night. UPS achieved 15 service aces and committed 10 serving errors. Willamette amassed seven service aces and made four serving errors. Both teams finished with just 3.0 team total blocks.

Willamette trailed by just two points at 14-12 in the first set, before the Loggers went on a 6-1 run for a 20-13 lead. The run included two kills by Reynaud and one kill by Harvey, plus a service ace from Florant. The Bearcats cut the lead to 21-17 before UPS tallied the next three points on its way to closing out the set at 25-19.

In the second set, WU evened the match with a 25-19 win of its own. The Bearcats held an 8-7 lead of after 15 rallies, but scored seven points in a row for a 15-7 edge. UPS threatened to rally by getting within three points at 21-18, but Willamette earned the next three points to regain control.

Puget Sound opened the third set by building leads of 5-1 and 7-3, but the Bearcats tied the scored at 9-9 after two kills in a row by Lindsey Compton (So., OH/S, Portola, CA/Portola HS/Univ. of Hartford). UPS countered with a 7-0 run to take a 16-9 advantage.

A bit later, WU reduced the lead to 19-16 following an attacking error by the Loggers. Puget Sound responded with a 3-0 run for a six-point margin and went on to win the set, 25-18.

The Loggers also prevailed 25-18 in the fourth set.

UPS was in front by just a single point 8-7 after a kill by Carly Hargrave (Sr., MH, Happy Valley, OR/Clackamas HS) of Willamette. The next three points went to the Loggers, who eventually extended their lead to 19-12 on a kill by Reynaud. WU was behind 22-13 before a 5-0 run ending in a service ace by Brehmer cut the margin to 22-18.

A kill by Andie Kenneally of UPS, plus two kills by Harvey, completed the win for the Loggers.

Willamette will host George Fox University in Northwest Conference action on Saturday, Oct. 12. Game time at Cone Field House is set for 7 p.m. (PDT).