Porter Provides Bearcats with 22 Assists as Willamette Falls to Whitworth

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Emma Porter (Grad., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) registered 22 assists for Willamette University on Friday, Oct. 13, increasing her career total to 2,934, but Whitworth University defeated the Bearcats, 3-0, in a Northwest Conference match at Cone Field House. The Pirates won 25-21, 25-18, 25-18.

Whitworth upped its record to 10-7 overall, 7-2 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 9-7 on the season, 4-5 in the NWC.

Porter has earned 443 assists this season. She is averaging 7.98 assists per set in 2023 and 8.68 assists per set during her career. Against Whitworth, Porter also produced four kills, no attacking errors, and a .571 hitting percentage on seven total attacks.

Olivia Cadien (Jr., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy) achieved 11 kills on Friday, while Katey Cramer (So., OH, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS/Cuesta College) was credited with six kills. Shyla Sato (Sr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) topped the Bearcats with 10 digs. Riley Cedergreen (So., DS, Nampa, ID/Liberty Charter School) supplied three of Willamette's six service aces.

Amblessed Okemgbo of Whitworth led all players with 13 kills. Ella Jimenez and Cassidy Franklin each accumulated eight kills for the Pirates. Mya Rodriguez, with 16 assists, and Josephine Thompson, with 15 assists, split the setting duties for Whitworth. Rodriguez also made a team-high eight digs. Kaity Barr, the NWC leader in blocks, ended the match with eight total blocks, all on block assists.

The Pirates hit .397 for the match with only nine attacking errors and earned 12.0 team total blocks on defense. Willamette finished with 4.0 team total blocks.

Although Whitworth played very well on offense and at the net, Willamette also played well for much of the match. The Bearcats led 18-17 in the first set, trailed by a slim 16-15 margin in the second set, and trailed 18-15 well into the third set. Whitworth's Okemgbo earned four kills in the first set, three kills in the second set, and six kills in the third set to help the Pirates win.

In the first set, Willamette held a 6-4 lead following a kill by Cramer that was assisted by Porter. The Pirates countered with an 8-3 run to grab a 12-9 lead on a kill by Okemgbo. Willamette went on a 9-6 scoring surge to move in front at 18-17 on a kill by Cadien. The teams were tied 20-20 before Whitworth claimed five of six rallies for a 25-21 victory.

The second set included seven ties and two lead changes. Willamette and the Pirates were tied five times from 10-10 to 15-15. The Pirates scored the next two points for a 17-15 advantage and eventually led 21-17 on a kill by Barr. Whitworth took the set 25-18.

A strong 7-3 start gave the Pirates an edge in the third set, but the Bearcats rallied for a 10-9 lead on a kill by Cadien. The Pirates used a 5-0 run to move in front, 14-10, and later built an 18-11 edge. Willamette went on a 4-0 run of its own, ending with back-to-back kills from Cramer, to pull within 18-15. Whitworth extended the margin to 20-15 with two consecutive points. A kill by Locke on the following rally pulled the Bearcats within four points at 20-16, but they never got closer, as the Pirates closed the match with a 5-2 run.

The Bearcats will host Whitman College in another NWC match on Saturday, Oct. 14. Match time at Cone Field House is scheduled for 6 p.m. PDT.