Bearcats Defeat Hamline and Lose to Gustavus Adolphus at UC Santa Cruz

NOTE:  The Bearcats set a school record with 19 service aces against Hamline.

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- On the second day of the UC Santa Cruz Slugfest, the Willamette University volleyball team downed Hamline University (Minn.), 3-1, and fell to Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.), 3-0, as the Bearcats concluded the tournament with a 2-1 overall record. After playing the Bearcats, Hamline moved to 1-1, while Gustavus Adolphus improved to 3-0. WU defeated the Pipers of Hamline, 25-21, 30-32, 25-13, 25-9. Gustavus Adolphus defeated Willamette, 25-15, 25-15, 25-20.

Willamette 3, Hamline 1

Against Hamline, Olivia Cadien (Jr., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy) led Willamette's attack, as she connected for 22 kills and a .350 hitting percentage. She also scored on four service aces.

Alayna Hughes (Jr., DS, Eugene, OR/Sheldon HS/University of Providence) paced WU with six service aces, leading the Bearcats to a school record 19 aces overall. The previous record was 18 aces against Western Baptist College (now Corban University) in 1991.

"Overall, this was a good opening weekend," Willamette Head Coach Lily Hallock said. "The team enjoyed the trip to Santa Cruz, we played solid competition, and we saw success on the court. Serving is going to be a weapon for us this season and we showed that against Hamline with 19 team service aces."

Kaley Cramer (So., OH, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS/Cuesta College) earned 13 kills, while Sydney Locke (So., MB, Federal Way, WA/Decatur HS) provided 13 kills and hit .273. Emma Porter (Grad., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) provided quality setting with 40 assists to go along with 12 digs. Shyla Sato (Sr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) accumulated 37 digs.

WU earned a 58-32 advantage in kills and registered a .208 team hitting percentage while limiting Hamline to .083 hitting. Willamette achieved 52 assists and 81 digs. The Bearcats held HU to just 28 assists and 63 digs.

Elizabeth Lopata topped the Hamline lineup with seven kills. Lauren Wilborn and Kennedy Tutak each supplied the Pipers with five kills. Kaitlyn Kotek was credited with 21 assists and 10 digs. Lopata earned a team-high 17 digs.

The Bearcats won the first set after the teams played through six ties and four lead changes. WU led 12-8 after back-to-back service aces by Cadien. The Pipers took a 15-14 lead on an attacking error by the Bearcats and eventually gained a 20-16 advantage on a kill by Tutak. Willamette countered with a 5-1 run for a 21-21 tie. The Bearcats tallied the next four points, ending with a kill by Caiden and a kill from Syd Bowen (So., OH/OPP, Tigard, OR/Wilsonville HS), to take the set, 25-21.

In the second set, there were 12 ties and five lead changes. Willamette led 18-12 and 20-16 before Hamline rallied. Even so, the Bearcats earned the first game point at 24-23 on a kill by Bowen.

During the next point, Cramer pounded an attack to the back left portion of the court. Faith Johnson of HU earned a dig, but the ball went wide and behind the end line. Wilburn made a diving save, sending the ball closer to the net but still wide. Johnson dug the ball over the net. The Pipers later won the point on a block by Tutak for a 24-24 tie. WU held leads of 27-26 on a kill by Cramer and 28-27 on a kill by Locke. Hamline won 32-30 on a kill by Lopata.

The Bearcats were in front throughout the third and fourth sets. Willamette surged out to a 10-1 lead in the third set, including three service aces by Hughes. Later, WU owned a 22-7 advantage before winning the set 25-13. In the fourth set, Cramer led WU with four kills and the Bearcats held an 11-1 lead on their way to a 25-9 triumph.

Gustavus Adolphus 3, Willamette 0

The Gusties scored 10 of the first 13 points of the opening set against the Bearcats. WU pulled within 11-6 on a kill by Cadien and the Bearcats were as close as 16-11 on a service error by GAC. The Gusties went on a 7-1 run for a 23-12 edge on their way to a 25-15 win. In the second set, the Bearcats trailed by a slim 12-9 margin following a kill by Bowen. The Gusties scored the next five points on their way to a 25-15 victory.

Willamette and Gustavus Adolphus played a highly competitive third set that included 12 ties and seven lead changes. After the teams were tied 11th time at 13-13, WU scored on four consecutive rallies, including three kills from Cadien. A bit later, the Bearcats owned a 20-17 lead. The Gusties responded with an 8-0 run to claim the third set at 25-20. Marlee Turn supplied four kills during the run.

Turn led GAC with 11 kills, while recording a .375 hitting percentage. Sydney Olson chipped in nine kills for the Gusties. Mayssa Tweet registered 28 assists, while Maren Sundberg paced the team with 12 digs.

For Willamette, Cadien accumulated 13 kills versus Gustavus Adolphus, giving her 53 kills during the tournament. In 12 sets, she averaged 4.4 kills per set. Also against the Gusties, Porter dished out 19 assists and Sato provided 17 digs. During the tournament, Porter earned 96 assists (8.0 avg.), with Sato producing 78 digs (6.5 avg.).

"Olivia Cadien has stepped into a leadership role and is continuing to improve her play on the court," Hallock said. "This weekend she had many spectacular plays and helped keep the team focused. And Sydney Locke really impressed us this weekend. We're excited to see what she can do this season."