Willamette Volleyball to Face Lewis & Clark in Portland on Friday

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

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University volleyball team will look to rebound from a loss to Linfield College when the Bearcats travel to Portland, Ore., to take on Lewis & Clark College on Friday, Sept. 19. Match time at the Pamplin Sports Center is slated for 7 p.m. (PDT).

Willamette, 5-5 overall and 0-1 in the NWC, is led by Sarah Fincher (Jr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.), who has pounded out 123 kills so far this season and is averaging 3.51 kills per set. She also has contributed 2.14 digs per set and has recorded 16 total blocks.

Alexa Dowdell (So., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) follows with 2.10 kills per set to go with 2.42 digs per set. Taylor Gee (Sr., MH/OH, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS) adds 1.15 kills per set and leads the team with 27 blocks (0.79 avg.). Emma Liband (Fr., MH, Sandpoint, ID/Sandpoint HS) is averaging 0.87 blocks per set, with 20 blocks in 23 sets.

Setter Lindsey Compton (Jr., OH/S, Portola, CA/Portola HS/Univ. of Hartford) registered a season-high 42 assists against Linfield on Wednesday. She is averaging 8.57 assists per set this season. Tynan Gable (Fr., S, Woodinville, WA/Woodinville HS) also has seen action at setter. She has produced 5.88 assists per set.

Lewis & Clark enters Friday's match with a 6-3 overall record. It will be the Pioneers' first conference game of the season.

One of the top hitters for L&C is Milan Kateleya with 2.44 kills per set. She has achieved 61 kills in 25 sets. Isabel Valentine is averaging 2.44 kills per set. Ali Carleton has the most kills (69) while playing in all 33 sets and is averaging 2.09 kills per set.

Emily Drake has contributed 5.33 assists per set and Vanessa Hall has provided 3.82 kills per set.

On defense, Alexe Navarro leads the way with 5.97 digs per set. She has 197 digs in 33 matches. Erinn Winstead is averaging 2.25 digs per set. The leader in blocks is Tesse Belanger with 1.06 total blocks per set.

The Pioneers are hitting .177 as a team. They have limited their opponents to a combined .133 team hitting percentage.