Sato Makes Career-High 41 Digs for Bearcats in Defensive Battle won by PLU, 3-2

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

TACOMA, Wash. -- Shyla Sato (Sr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) of Willamette University provided the Bearcats with a career-high 41 digs in a defensive battle on Saturday, Oct. 29, during a five-set volleyball match at Pacific Lutheran University. The Bearcats and the Lutes were tied after four sets, but Pacific Lutheran won the fifth set 15-12 to take the match, 3-2. PLU won the first set 25-18 and the third set 25-21, while Willamette grabbed the second set 25-19 and the fourth set 25-22.

Pacific Lutheran upped its record to 14-8 overall, 9-5 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 9-11 on the season, 8-6 in the NWC. The Bearcats are 4-2 in NWC matches decided in five sets.

Sato's 41 digs topped her previous career high of 35, set in two matches during the COVID-19 shortened 2020-21 season that included just eight matches. Sato was credited with 35 digs against Pacific University on March 5, 2021 and registered another 35 digs against George Fox University two weeks later on March 19, 2021.

On Saturday, Sato helped the Bearcats match PLU's defensive efforts, as Halle Hetzler accumulated 35 digs for the Lutes. Willamette concluded the match with 97 digs and Pacific Lutheran earned 99 digs. In addition, PLU produced 10.0 team total blocks and the Bearcats amassed 7.0 team total blocks. WU gained an edge in serving with 12 service aces and seven serving errors, while Pacific Lutheran's eight service aces were offset by 12 serving errors. PLU recorded a 56-49 advantage in kills.

Olivia Cadien (So., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy) was credited with 14 kills to lead Willamette's offense, while Kaitlyn Westby (So., MH, Redmond, WA/Eastside Catholic HS) supplied 13 kills and a .265 hitting percentage. Sato was one of four Bearcats with double-digit digs, as Steele Jasa (Sr., DS/S, Bend, OR/Summit HS) and Dani Queja (Sr., OH, Ewa Beach, HI/Maryknoll School) both had 16, and Emma Porter (Sr., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) added 14. Queja also contributed a match-high six service aces and ended the contest with seven kills. Cadien added four aces. Porter ran the offense on her way to 36 assists.

"Tonight's match was a thriller and so fun to be a part of," Willamette Head Volleyball Coach Lily Hallock noted. "Both teams played incredible defense, with Shyla once again holding down our back row with 41 digs. Willamette volleyball has made tremendous progress and we can't wait for a joyful Senior Night next weekend."

Hailey Iha paced the Lutes with 15 kills and just one attacking error to go with a .483 hitting percentage. Elle Thomas chipped in 13 kills and Baylee Johnson tacked on 10. Joining Hetzler with double-digit totals for digs were Liv Evaro with 17, and Torie Takeuchi and Madeline Dawson with 10 each. Evaro also achieved 38 assists.

The Lutes surged out to a 6-3 lead in the fifth set, but Willamette reduced the margin to a single point at 7-6 on a service ace by Cadien. Soon, WU tied the score at 8-8 with a kill from Queja. PLU regained the lead with a 3-0 run that started with a kill by Iha and ended on a kill by Hetzler, giving the home team an 11-8 lead. Willamette moved within 14-12 several rallies later on an attacking error by Pacific Lutheran. The Bearcats committed an attacking error on the next rally, as PLU concluded the match with a 15-12 win.

Pacific Lutheran prevailed in the first set, 25-18. Willamette scored the first point of the match, but the Lutes tallied the next seven points, including four kills, for a 7-1 lead. PLU held leads of 12-5 and 17-9 before the Bearcats eventually pulled within 18-13. WU trailed 21-15 following a kill by Lexi Martin (Sr., MH, Bellevue, WA/Interlake HS). The teams then alternated scoring for seven points in the row -- all on sideouts -- as the Lutes took the set.

The Bearcats rebounded with a 25-19 victory in the second set. Willamette owned leads of 6-3 on a service ace by Queja and 13-8 on a ball-handling error by the Lutes. PLU tied the set at 14-14 on a service ace from Breeze Bartle and the team were tied three more times. Willamette broke the final tie when Queja earned a kill for a 19-18 lead. The successful attack began a 6-1 run to close out the set.

In the third set, PLU grabbed a 5-0 lead that the Lutes never relinquished. Pacific Lutheran held a 12-6 advantage after 18 rallies and later owned a 16-11 edge after a kill by Iha. WU moved within 19-15 on a service ace by Cadien before the Lutes gained a 24-17 lead. Four consecutive points by Willamette, ending with back-to-back service aces from Queja, reduced the margin to 24-21, but a kill by Iha won the set for PLU.

Willamette kept the match going with a 25-22 win in the fourth set. The Lutes were in front 15-10, but saw the lead disappear when the Bearcats tied the score at 17-17 on an ace provided by Cadien. Following two more ties, Willamette put together three consecutive scores for a 22-19 lead. PLU cut the margin to 22-21 before WU increased its lead to 24-21. A kill by Thomas of PLU cut the margin to two points. Caiden added a kill for the Bearcats to send the match into the fifth set.

The Bearcats will take on Lewis & Clark College at Cone Field House on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. (PDT). Willamette will remain at home for Senior Night on Saturday, Nov. 5 against George Fox University at 6 p.m.