Porter Earns 21 Assists, Sato Posts 20 Digs, in NWC Semifinal Loss to PLU

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

TACOMA, Wash. -- Senior setter Emma Porter (Grad., Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) registered 21 assists and senior libero Shyla Sato (Sr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) provided 20 digs, but Willamette University fell to regular season Northwest Conference champion Pacific Lutheran University, 3-0, in the semifinals of the inaugural NWC Tournament on Friday, Nov. 10. PLU won 25-17, 25-13, 25-23 to advance into the NWC Championship match, while improving to 18-7 on the season. Willamette's season concluded with a 14-10 overall record.

Pacific Lutheran won the NWC regular season title at 16-0. The Lutes will take on George Fox University in the NWC Championship game on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. PST in Olson Auditorium on the PLU campus. George Fox downed Whitworth University, 3-1, in the other semifinal match. The Bruins rallied after losing the first set to defeat the Pirates, 20-25, 25-18, 25-19, 27-25.

Porter ended her Willamette career with 3,171 assists, as he finished just 17 assists away from the school record of 3,187 set by Emily Compton from 2010-13. Sato moved past the 2,000-dig mark during Friday's match and completed her career with 2,016 digs.

Against PLU in the NWC Tournament, Heavenly Tuputala (Fy., OH, Auburn, WA/Federal Way HS) and Sydney Locke (So., MB, Federal Way, WA/Decatur HS) each provided WU with seven kills. Locke also contributed a .211 hitting percentage, as she attained a .232 hitting percentage for the season. Olivia Cadien (Jr., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy) pounded six kills and ended the year with a team-high total of 297 kills.

Tuputala added 11 digs. Westby was credited with three block assists, while Cadien and Locke each earned two block assists.

Pacific Lutheran was led by Elle Thomas with 10 kills. Claire Hindman supplied nine kills and Alexis Eggert concluded the match with eight kills. Olivia Evaro recorded 33 assists. Torie Takeuchi amassed 18 di8gs, while Sydney Aoki registered 14 digs and Halle Hetzler tacked on 11.

Willamette started strong in the opening set with a 5-1 lead through six rallies. Sato and Porter each recorded an ace during the early run. Pacific Lutheran grabbed a 9-7 lead a bit later in the set on a kill by Eggert. The Bearcats regained the lead at 11-10 on a kill by Locke. The Lutes scored the next three points for a 13-11 advantage and never trailed later in the set. Even so, PLU owned slim 15-14 lead after a kill by Westby of Willamette. The Lutes ended the set with a 10-2 run.

In the second set, Pacific Lutheran gained a 9-5 lead. WU cut the margin to 11-9 on a combo block from Locke and Porter. The Lutes earned the next two points to start a 14-4 surge that gave PLU a 25-13 win.

The third set featured 10 ties and four lead changes, as the Bearcats recorded 13 kills and PLU registered 11 kills. Willamette claimed leads of 10-9 on a kill by Locke, 11-10 on a serving error by the Lutes, and 15-14 on a kill from Westby. The Bercat salso led 16-15 following a kill by Tuputala.

Pacific Lutheran chalked up the next three points for an 18-16 lead on a kill by Hindman. Several rallies later, the Lutes took a 20-17 advantage on a service ace by Takeuchi. The Bearcats moved within a single point four times, including 24-23 on a kill by Tuputala. The Lutes added a kill by Thomas to end the set and win the match.