Bearcats Avenge Loss at Whitman with 3-0 Victory over Blues

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- At Cone Field House on Saturday, Oct. 14, the Willamette University volleyball team received 11 kills each from Kaitlyn Westby (Jr., MB, Redmond, WA/Eastside Catholic HS) and Olivia Cadien (Jr., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy), as the Bearcats downed Whitman College, 25-10, 30-28, 25-22. The 3-0 win by the Bearcats avenged a three-set loss to the Blues on Sept. 16.

Willamette improved to 10-7 overall with the win, while moving to 5-5 in the NWC. Whitman fell to 4-13 overall, 3-7 in the NWC.

Westby earned her 11 kills with no attacking errors as she recorded a .550 hitting percentage. Cadien's 11 kills were achieved with just two attacking errors and a .391 hitting percentage. Katey Cramer (So., OH, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS/Cuesta College) tacked on seven kills, while Sydney Locke (So., MB, Federal Way, WA/Decatur HS) pounded out six kills. Willamette registered a .206 team hitting percentage and limited Whitman to a .134 hitting percentage.

Setter Emma Porter (Grad., Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) guided the WU offense with 31 assists and Shyla Sato (Sr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) led the defense with 24 digs. Cadien provided an all-around match with 12 digs, five service aces, and two block assists to go along with her double-digit kills.

Willamette was credited with eight service aces and just five serving errors, while the Blues had six service aces and seven serving errors. The Bearcats claimed a 42-32 lead in kills and a 60-53 advantage in digs.

Kenzie Martinez topped Whitman with 13 kills and a .300 hitting percentage. She also contributed 14 digs. Nicole Kelly added eight kills and two service aces. Jackie Zapanta supplied 15 digs. Setter Tela Magaoay earned 28 assists and 10 digs for the Blues.

The Bearcats dominated the first set and surged out to a 25-10 win. WU held a 7-2 lead on a service ace by Alayna Hughes (Fy., Eugene, OR/Sheldon HS/Univ. of Providence) and led 10-4 on an attacking error by Whitman. A bit later, the Bearcats concluded a 7-1 run with a kill by Cadien for a 17-6 margin. Willamette hit .233 on 11 kills during the set, while holding the Lutes to a negative .036 hitting percentage with just five kills and six attacking errors.

Whitman played much better in the second set, which included 13 ties and eight lead changes before the Bearcats prevailed in extended play. The Blues led 12-6 at one point and later owned a 20-12 margin following a kill by Bella Vickers. The Bearcats put together a fierce rally, much of it with Cramer serving. Willamette started the run with a kill by Cramer for a side-out, then Cramer served as the Bearcats tallied the next five points to pull within 20-18.

A few points later, WU cut the margin to 21-20 on a kill by Cadien at the end of a very long rally. A kill by Westby tied the game at 21-21 while completing a 9-1 run by the Bearcats. Each team missed on two chances to win a set point, before the Bearcats broke a 28-28 tie with a kill by Locke and a kill from Porter to end the set.

Although the third set featured seven ties and three lead changes, the Bearcat did not relinquish the lead after moving in front 18-17 on a serving error by the Blues. Locke and Cadien each tacked on a kill for a 20-17 lead. Whitman committed an attacking error and Locke supplied another kill, as WU took a 22-17 advantage. The Blues were as close as 23-21 on a kill from Vickers and 24-22 on a kill by Lilli Thompson. The next rally ended with Willamette ending the match when Westby recorded a kill.

Up next for Willamette is a home match with Linfield University on Friday, Oct. 20. The NWC match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. PDT.