Willamette to Play at Pacific Lutheran, Host Pacific, in NWC Volleyball

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University's volleyball team will play two Northwest Conference matches this weekend, starting with a road contest at 17th-ranked Pacific Lutheran University on Friday, Oct. 10 and ending with a home match against Pacific University on Saturday, Oct. 11. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. (PDT).

The Bearcats enter the weekend with an 8-7 overall record, including 3-3 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette holds fifth place in the NWC standings, but the Bearcats are only one match out of a tie for third place and only a game and a half out of second.

Pacific Lutheran is 13-3 overall and leads the NWC with a 6-1 record. Pacific is 5-9 overall, 1-5 in the NWC. The Boxers play at Linfield College on Friday.

Leading Willamette's offensive chart is Sarah Fincher (Jr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.) with 185 kills in 54 sets. She is second in the NWC with 3.43 kills per set. Fincher also has contributed 134 digs (2.48 avg.) and 30 blocks (0.56 avg.). She owns a .187 hitting percentage

Alexa Dowdell (So., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) has achieved 113 kills and 2.22 kills per set. She has averaged 2.20 digs per set.

Taylor Gee (Sr., MH/OH, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS) has provided 61 kills in 51 sets (1.20 avg.), while Taylor Lum (So., MH/OH, Honolulu, HI/Maryknoll HS) has added 58 kills in 46 sets (1.26 avg.) and Alida Holt (So., OH, Honolulu, HI/Roosevelt HS) has recorded 48 kills in 27 sets (1.78 avg.). Gee tops WU with 48 total blocks (0.94 avg.).

Peyton Wahl (Fr., DS/LIB, Richland, WA/Richland HS) has earned a team-high 229 digs and is seventh in the NWC with 4.16 digs per set. Setter Lindsey Compton (Jr., Portola, CA/Portola HS/Univ. of Hartford) is second on the team with 146 digs and 2.98 digs per set. She leads the Bearcats with 8.45 assists per set.

Pacific Lutheran junior outside hitter Lucy Capron leads the Lutes with 201 kills and 3.59 kills per set. She also ranks first in the NWC. Kylai Cooley (Jr., OH) follows with 191 kills and 3.41 kills per set, good for third in the NWC.

Amy Wooten (Sr., MB) has played in just five matches and 19 sets, but is averaging 2.58 kills per set to go with a team-leading .283 hitting percentage. Michaela Edgers (Jr., MB) is averaging 1.75 kills per set with a .257 hitting percentage.

Capron and Cooley also lead PLU in service aces. Capron has recorded 21 aces, while Cooley has earned 20 aces. Overall, the Lutes have produced 99 service aces, compared to 62 aces for their opponents.

Samantha North (Sr. S) has contributed 10.75 assists per set, while playing in all 16 matches and 57 sets this season (613 assists). Capron ranks first on the team with 3.86 digs per set. Cooley has registered 2.77 digs per set. The top blocker for PLU is Edgers with 47 total blocks in 39 sets (1.21 avg.).

Pacific's only NWC victory was a 3-0 win against Lewis & Clark College on Sept. 20. The Boxers are led by Una Areta (So., OH), who has achieved 131 kills and 3.20 kills per set. Haley Bedell (Fr., MB/OH) has added 115 kills and 2.67 kills per set.

Emily Farnham (Jr., S) runs the offense, and has recorded 7.57 assists per set. Grace Sporer (Fr., DS) ranks first on the team with 25 service aces (O.58 avg.), while Lia Zablan (So., DS/LIB) has provided 20 service aces (0.44 avg.).

On defense, Zablan leads the way with 183 digs and 4.07 digs per set. Farnham ranks second with 2.57 digs per set. Kelly Wahl (Fr., MB) has earned a team-high 26 blocks for 0.65 blocks per set.

After playing PLU and Pacific, the Bearcats will prepare to host Lewis & Clark on Friday, Oct. 17. Match time at Cone Field House is set for 7 p.m. (PDT).