Willamette Downs Puget Sound in Four Sets, as Fincher Earns 19 Kills

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

TACOMA, WASH. -- Sarah Fincher (Jr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.) pounded out 19 kills and Willamette University earned 65 kills overall, as the Bearcats defeated the University of Puget Sound, 3-1, in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Friday, Oct. 24. Willamette prevailed 25-20, 29-27, 18-25, 25-21.

The win advanced Willamette's overall record to 11-9, while improving the Bearcats to 6-5 in the NWC. Puget Sound fell to 8-12 overall, 7-4 in the NWC.

Willamette is currently fifth in the NWC standings. The Bearcats are just one match out of a tie for third place between UPS and Linfield College, also 7-4. Pacific Lutheran University and Whitworth University are tied for first place at 9-2. Willamette will play at George Fox University, 3-18 overall and 2-9 in the NWC, on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. (PDT).

Fincher was one of three Bearcats with double-digit kills. Alexa Dowdell (So., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) produced 12 kills and Taylor Lum (So., MH/OH, Honolulu, HI/Maryknoll HS) added 11. Fincher also contributed 11 digs and two block assists.

The 65 kills by Willamette set a team season-high, surpassing the previous best of 58 in a 3-2 victory over George Fox on Sept. 27. WU also recorded season highs for assists (61) and digs (112) against the Loggers on Friday.

In addition, the Bearcats limited Puget Sound to 48 kills. Shawna Smith was the only UPS player to reach double figures with 14 kills. Kristen Lane and Heather Sangster each contributed seven kills. Rachel Garrison supplied a match-high 26 digs for the Loggers.

Lindsey Compton (Jr., OH/S, Portola, CA/Portola HS/Univ. of Hartford) achieved 47 assists and 24 digs for the Bearcats. Dowdell tacked on 19 digs, while Peyton Wahl (Fr., LIB/DS, Richland, WA/Richland HS) earned 17 and Elisa Ahern (Jr., Lake Forest Park, WA/Shorecrest HS) registered 14.

Taylor Gee (Sr., MH/OH, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS) led WU with six block assists, while the Bearcats attained 7.0 team total blocks. The Loggers also excelled at the net, earning 11.5 team total blocks, including seven block assists by Lane.

The Bearcats took a 5-1 lead in the first set, but Puget Sound roared back and claimed leads of 7-5 and 12-8. Willamette also trailed 17-15, but rallied with six consecutive points.

After achieving an 18-18 tie on an attacking error by UPS, the Bearcats moved in front on a service ace by Lum. A combo block by Fincher and Gee, plus a kill from Gee, completed the rally. Puget Sound cut the lead to 21-20 on a kill by Nicolette Reynaud, before WU tallied four straight points to win the set.

In the second set, the Bearcats and the Loggers played through 11 ties and four lead changes. Puget Sound held a 17-15 lead after an attacking error by Willamette. The Bearcats later trailed 21-17 before 4-0 run tied the score.

Willamette also had to overcome a 23-21 deficit and faced match set point at 24-23, but a service ace from Ahern gained another tie. Willamette never trailed again and held leads of 25-24, 26-25, and 27-26 before a kill by Moira McVicar tied the set. Two kills in a row by Fincher provided WU with a 29-27 win.

USP surged out to an 8-2 lead in the third set. The Bearcats battled back within 10-8 and later pulled within 17-15, but the next four points went to the Loggers, sending them toward a 25-18 victory.

Willamette trailed early in the fourth set, and the Loggers eventually held an 11-8 advantage. Willamette responded with a 5-0 run that started with a kill by Compton and ended with back-to-back kills by Dowdell and Fincher.

The Loggers tied the set three times, including 15-15, but the Bearcats used a 9-2 run, including three kills by Alida Holt (So., OH, Honolulu, HI/Roosevelt HS), to forge a 24-17 lead. UPS gathered in the next four points, ending with two blocks on attacks by Fincher. The Bearcats led 24-21 and ended the match with a kill by Fincher on the next point.