Lewis & Clark Slips Past Bearcats, 3-2, with 16-14 Win in Fifth Set

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Lewis & Clark College claimed a slim 3-2 victory over Willamette University on Wednesday, Oct. 28 in a Northwest Conference volleyball match a the Pamplin Sports Center. The Pioneers trailed 2-1 after three sets, but won the final two sets for a 25-17, 18-25, 13-25, 25-23, 16-14 win.

Willamette moved to 13-8 on the season, 9-4 in the NWC. Lewis & Clark upped its record to 9-11, 6-7 in the NWC.

Julia Somers led L&C with a match-high 23 kill. She earned a .352 hitting percentage. Somers also recorded 15 digs, two service aces and three block assists.

Sarah Fincher (Sr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.) topped Willamette with 16 kills.

The Bearcats held a 14-13 lead in the fifth set following an attacking error by Ellery Creighton of Lewis & Clark. Kortney Meyer provided a kill for the Pioneers on the next rally, and Somers followed up with two more kills to win the set and the match.

Meyer finished with nine kills for the Pioneers. Alexe Navarro registered 33 digs for L&C, while Ali Carleton produced 17 digs. Mikayla Lopez supplied 28 of the team's 56 assists, helping the Pioneers earn 60 kills.

Willamette pounded out 51 kills. In addition to Fincher's 16 kills, the Bearcats received eight kills from Alexa Dowdell (Jr., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS), plus seven kills each from Tynan Gable (So., S, Woodinville, WA/Woodinville HS) and Lindsey Compton (Sr., OH/S, Portola, CA/Portola HS/Univ. of Hartford).

Libero Kaylen Higa (Fr., LIB/DS, Mililani, HI/Punahou School) provided a team-high 22 digs. Gable achieved 38 assists and 13 digs. Alexa Becker (Sr., OH, El Dorado Hills, CA/Oak Ridge HS) recorded 15 digs and Compton earned 13 digs to go with four service aces.

L&C earned three consecutive kills to open the match and held a 10-4 lead in the first set. Willamette went on a 7-2 run to pull within 12-11. The Pioneers responded with a 6-1 surge for a 17-12 margin on their way to a 25-17 win. Somers had five kills in the first set.

The Bearcats trailed 4-1 and 8-5 in the second set, but tied the score three plays later. The three points opened a 6-0 run that included kills by Fincher, Taylor Lum (Jr., MH/OH, Honolulu, HI/Maryknoll HS) and Gable.

L&C got as close as 14-12 on a service ace by Ali Carlton, but WU scored the next two points and gradually pulled away for a 25-18 win.

Willamette tallied the first five points of the third set and never tailed in a 25-13 victory. The Bearcats owned leads of 7-1 and 12-3 along the way, and hit .444 during the set.

The Pioneers owned the lead early in the fourth set, including a 13-4 advantage after a hitting error by the Bearcats. Willamette also trailed 15-8, but three consecutive service aces by Compton and a kill by Dowdell reduced the deficit to 15-12. WU eventually tied the game at 22-22.

The score also was tied at 23-23 following a kill by Fincher. Somers put L&C ahead with a kill and added another successful attack to force the fifth set.

WU took a 4-0 lead. The Pioneeers pulled into a 5-5 tie six rallies later, but Willamette moved in front on a kill by Aspen Peterman (Fr., OH/OPP, Bend, OR/Bend HS). Lewis & Clark scored the next four points a 9-6 margin, and also held a 10-7 advantage before the Bearcats battled back for a 12-10 lead.

The teams were tied at 12-12 and 13-13, before WU held its 14-13 advantage. L&C answered with its match-winning three-point run.

Willamette will play at Pacific Lutheran University on Friday, Oct. 30. The start time is scheduled for 7 p.m. (PDT). After the PLU match, the Bearcats will have played seven out of eight matches on the road. WU will return home to take on Whitworth University on Nov. 6 and Whitman College on Nov. 7.