Fox and Khan Register 12 Kills each, as Bearcats Defeat Rivals from Linfield, 3-1

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Momentum kept swinging back and forth between Willamette University and Linfield College during their Northwest Conference volleyball match at Cone Field House on Friday Oct. 13. A 7-0 run helped Linfield win the first set, and a 8-0 surge by Willamette helped the Bearcats win the second set. After WU prevailed in the third set, the teams battled it out in the fourth set. Nine ties and four lead changes later, Willamette had scored 10 of the final 14 points to defeat the Wildcats, 18-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-21.

The 3-1 win allowed the Bearcats to improve to 6-11 on the season, 3-6 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette avenged a 3-0 loss at Linfield in the NWC opener on Sept 15. Linfield fell to 8-8 overall, 2-7 in the NWC.

"After losing the first set, we maintained our composure, which has been hard to do for us," Willamette Head Coach Tom Shoji said. "It was great to see that happen."

Arianna Khan (Fr., OPP, Yuba, CA/River Valley HS) and Kendall Fox (So., OH, Dupont, WA/Steilacoom HS) led Willamette with 12 kills each. Elena Vasquez (Fr., DS/OH, Kingston, WA/North Kitsap HS) contributed a match-high 21 digs. It was the fifth time in the past eight matches that she has earned 20 or more digs. Jaiden Mason (Fr., S/OPP, Charlotte, NC/Charlotte Christian School) provided nine kills, 25 assists, 18 digs and four block assists.

Nicolette Seina (Fr., LIB/DS, Honolulu, HI/Moanalua HS) supplied the Bearcats with great serving. She finished the match with three service aces and kept Linfield under pressure even when she didn't record an ace. She also was credited with five digs.

"This win was a product of how we practiced this week," Shoji noted. "They really worked at making each other better ... really pushed each other and had some fun doing it. It was a fun gym to be in!"

Taylor Petersen recorded 16 kills for Linfield and hit .481 during the match. She led all players with 12 total blocks on four block solos and eight block assists. Brianna Sanford added 12 kills for the Wildcats, while Kayla Magbaleta achieved 17 digs and two service aces. Taylor Souza produced 12 digs.

The first set included six ties and five lead changes in the first 23 points. Willamette held an 11-9 edge after an attacking error by the Wildcats. Linfield took the next point on an attacking error by Willamette, and then won six more points with Magbaleta serving. The run, which included three combo blocks by the Wildcats and one service ace by Magbaleta, gave the visitors a 16-11 lead.

Willamette was unable to counter Linfield's run before the set ended. The Bearcat pulled as close as 16-12 on a kill by Mason, but the Wildcats were successful on nine of the next 15 points to win the set.

The second set featured a reversal of momentum similar to the first set, but with Willamette gaining the edge. Linfield owned a 9-6 lead, before a bad set by Audrey Hyem brought the Bearcats within two points. Seina began serving for the Bearcats ... and kept serving until WU grabbed a 14-9 advantage seven points later. Along the way, the Bearcats blocked two kill attempts, while Khan and Madison Haley (So., MH, Truckee, CA/Tahoe Truckee HS) each recorded a kill. Seina completed the run with a service ace.

Linfield broke Seina's serving streak with a kill by Mattie Kelly. Even so, the Bearcats countered by using a 5-1 run to extend their lead to 19-11.

A bit later, WU was in front 22-13. The Wildcats responded by winning five consecutive rallies, concluding with a combo block by Peterson and Regan Dean to reduce the margin to 22-18. Darian Stedman, who served on four of the five points, followed with a serving error on her next attempt.

Leading 23-18, the Bearcats alternated sideouts with the Wildcats on the next four points to win the set, 25-20.

The Bearcats controlled the third set, which had only two tie scores at 1-1 and 2-2. Willamette moved into the lead for good with a kill from Dreux Bertolucci and held a 7-4 advantage after a kill by Fox. The Bearcats increased the margin to five points at 10-5 on a kill by Mason. Linfield battled back to within 12-10 on a kill by Eryka Keoho, but did not get closer.

WU held a slim 18-15 edge before adding four consecutive points. The Wildcats also scored for points in a row, leaving Willamette with a 22-19 lead. After the Bearcats called timeout, Khan and Mason recorded back-to-back kills, and Mason and Emma Liband (Sr., MH, Sandpoint, ID/Sandpoint HS) added a combo block to end the set with a 25-19 win.

In the fourth set, Linfield took an 8-3 lead on a kill by Peterson. Willamette eventually tied the score three times from 12-12 to 14-14, and then grabbed a 15-14 lead. Peterson answered with three consecutive kills for the Wildcats, giving Linfield a 17-15 margin. The Bearcats tallied the next three points on a kill by Mason, a kill by Khan and a service ace by Vasquez to move back in front, 18-17.

Linfield scored the next point and also forced a tie at 19-19 on a kill from Sanford. Liband added a kill for Willamette, and then the Wildcats committed two attacking errors, as the Bearcats took a 22-19 edge. Each team tacked on two kills, putting Willamette at set point with a 24-21 score. Mason registered a kill to complete the match.

Willamette ended the night with a slim 48-47 lead in kills. The Bearcats attained a .152 team hitting percentage, while the Wildcats hit .126. Linfield finished with 15.0 team total blocks, while Willamette's defense gained 9.0 total blocks. Haley led WU with one block solo and four block assists. The Bearcats claimed a 71-58 advantage in digs.

NWC action continues for the Bearcats with a match at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, on Saturday (Oct. 14). Match time is scheduled for 7 p.m. (PDT).