Bearcats Fall at Whitworth, 3-1, for First NWC Loss of Season

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth University lost the first set, but rallied to give Willamette University its first Northwest Conference loss of the season, as the Pirates won 3-1 on Friday, Oct. 9 at the Whitworth Fieldhouse. Whitworth outlasted the Bearcats, 17-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-16.

Willamette ended the match at 10-5 overall, 6-1 in the NWC. The Bearcats remained in first place, one match in front of the Pirates. Whtiworth improved its record to 11-6, 5-2 in the NWC.

Lindsey Compton (Sr., OH/S, Portola, CA/Portola HS/Univ. of Hartford) registered her fourth triple-double of the season for the Bearcats, finishing with 10 kills, 12 assists and 13 digs. She also earned four block assists.

Compton was the only Bearcat to reach double figures for kills. Sarah Fincher (Sr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.) added six kills and five block assists.

Casandra Mendoza topped Whitworth with 19 kills and a .357 hitting percentag. Brenna Bruit tacked on 11 kills and hit .400.

The Pirates earned a team hitting percentage of .135. On defense, Whitworth limited Willamette to a .099 attack percentage.

Willamette took a 6-3 lead in the first set following a service ace by Alexa Dowdell (Jr., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS). Whitworth battled back to tie the game three times, including 14-14 on a kill by Mendoza.

The Bearcats responded with a 6-0 run for a 20-14 advantage. The run included one kill each for Compton and Fischer, plus four attacking errors by Whitworth. Willamette closed out the set with a 25-17 win.

Early in the second set there were six ties and three lead changes, but the Pirates moved in front for good at 8-7. A bit later, the Pirates led 13-9, and then used four consecutive points -- two on service aces by Taylor Wicht -- to claim a 17-9 edge. Whitworth evened the match with a 25-15 victory.

Willamette led 8-4 in the third set on a kill by Fincher, and held a 10-6 lead after a kill from Emma Liband (So., MH, Sandpoint, ID/Sandpoint HS). Whitworth caught up at 13-13 and the score remained close.

The Pirates eventually led 24-21, but a kill by Fincher and a combo block from Fincher and Liband pulled the Bearcats within a single point. Whitworth took the set 25-23 on a kill by Nicole Leonard.

In the fourth set, the Pirates broke a 3-3 tie with a kill from Shawna Kirshavn to start a 5-0 surge for an 8-3 advantage. Willamette battled back within 8-5, 10-8 and 12-10, but was unable to catch the Pirates. A second 5-0 run gave Whitworth a 17-10 margin and the Pirates went on to win the set 25-16.

Whitworth amassed 54 kills during the match. Setter Maddye Dinsmore registered 46 assists and had 14 digs. Mallorie Schoesler led all players with 21 digs, while Neonard added 16.

The Bearcats partially offset Whitworth's kills by recording 14.0 team total blocks on one block solo and 26 block assists. Liband led Willamette with the block solo and six block assists. Taylor Lum (Jr., MH/OH, Honolulu, HI/Maryknoll HS) also recorded six block assists.

Kaylen Higa (Fr., LIB/DS, Mililani, HI/Punahou School) earned 19 digs for Willamette. Tynan Gable (So., S, Woodinville, WA/Woodinville HS) provided 17 digs and 13 assists.

Willamette will continue its road trip on Saturday, Oct. 10 with a match against Whitman College. Match time in Walla Walla, Washington, is set for 5 p.m.