Bearcats Compete with Boxers, but Fall to Pacific, 3-1, in Season Opener

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Dani Queja (So., OH, Ewa Beach, HI/Maryknoll School) earned 12 kills, but Willamette University fell to Pacific University, 3-1, in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Thursday, March 4 at the Stoller Center. The Boxers won 25-19, 26-24, 23-25, 25-17. It was the season opener and the NWC opener for both teams.

After Pacific won the first set, the Bearcats almost evened up the match before the Boxers prevailed in the second set, 26-24. Willamette outscored the Boxers in another extremely close set, 25-23, to pull within 2-1, before Pacific grabbed the fourth set for the overall victory.

Arianna Khan (Sr., OH/OPP, Yuba, CA/River Valley HS) added seven kills for Willamette, while Natalie Klotz (Jr., OH, Bonner Springs, KS/Bonner Springs HS) registered six kills. Shyla Sato (So., LIB, Honolulu, HI/MId-Pacific Institute) led Willamette with 14 digs. Khan contributed 13 digs and four blocks. Vasquez topped the Bearcats with five blocks, while Emma Porter (So., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) led WU with 28 assists.

Elika Unti paced the Boxers with 14 kills and a .387 hitting percentage. Nanea Lum tacked on 13 kills with a .281 hitting percentage. Jordan Zweifel reached double digits for Pacific with 11 kills and 11 digs. Haley Walz provided the Boxers with a match-high 33 digs. Makenna Mahuna recorded 43 assists and 12 digs.

The Boxers took a 7-4 lead in the first set and led 13-8 following a service ace by Terina DeFries. Willamette battled back to within 14-11 on a servie ace by Porter, but Pacific went on a 7-3 run to grab a 21-14 advantage. The Boxers won the set 25-19.

In the second set, Pacific won six of the first eight rallies on its way to a 12-5 edge. A bit later, the Boxers were in front 16-9, before the Bearcats answered with a 5-1 run to cut the margin to 17-16. Khan provided a kill during the run and also combined with Vasquez for a block. The Bearcats tied the score at 20-20 on an attacking error by Charlotte Powell of Pacific. The Boxers tallied the next point and eventually led 24-22. A kill by Vasquez, plus another combo block by Khan and Vasquez tied the score. An attacking error by Willamette and a service ace by Unti gave Pacific the final two points in a 26-24 win.

Willamette gained a 4-2 advantage in the third set. Pacific tied the score at 6-6 and the teams went on to have 13 ties and four lead chances during the set. The Boxers led 22-21 following a kill by Unti, but Willamette tallied the next two points on a kill by Queja and a solo block from Kyana Benjamin (Sr., MH, Lubbock, TX/Lubbock HS) for a 23-22 margin. A kill by Zweifel allowed Pacific to tie the score, but Willamette won the set, 25-23, with a kill by Porter and a bad set by the Boxers.

The fourth set featured five ties and one lead change before Pacific broke a 6-6 tie with a kill by Mahuna and led the rest of the way. Mahuna's kill opened a 7-1 run, as the Boxers surged in front, 13-7. Willamette trailed 18-11 following a kill by Porter. Pacific scored the next two points and eventually won the set, 25-17.

For the match, Pacific earned 49 kills while Willamette produced 39 kills. The Boxers also owned a 71-63 edge in digs. Willamette registered 12.0 team total blocks and Pacific claimed 9.0 team total blocks.

Willamette and Pacific will meet again tomorrow, March 5, at Cone Field House on the WU campus. Match time is set for 7 p.m. Fans can watch a Live Webcast and follow Live Stats during the match.