Jameson and Cadien lead Bearcats past Whitman 3-1

Salem, Ore.- Willamette Volleyball dropped the first set to Whitman College and stormed back to win the next three sets and the match, 19-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-23.  Olivia Cadien and Caroline Jameson each had 13 kills for the Bearcats.

The first set started with the teams trading points until the Blues turned a 5-6 deficit into a 10-6 lead on the strength of five straight points.  The Blues carried that lead to 16-11, but the Bearcats battled back within two points on a kill by Katey Cramer.  Willamette would pull within two points again at 18-16 thanks to a Kaitlyn Westby kill, but Whitman won seven of the final ten points to take the first set 25-19.

Willamette stormed into set two by winning the first six points and extended the lead to 18-6 on the strength of a flurry of kills by Jameson.  Whitman battled back but consecutive kills by Sydney Locke put the Bearcats up 21-12 and they would finish off set two on another kill by Jameson.

The Bearcats got off to another good start in set three and a Nora Wade kill put them early by a score of 11-6.  Whitman rallied to pull within one point on four separate occasions, but Willamette would not relinquish the lead and a kill by Cadiend closed out the third set 25-22.

Willamette took an early lead in the fourth, too, but this time the Blues were able to rally and retake the lead 12-11.  Kills by Westby, Cadien, and Jameson, gave the Bearcats an 18-14 lead before Whitman pulled back even at 18.  A kill from Cramer, a service ace by Westby, a block by Jameson, and another kill by Cramer put the Bearcats back up 22-18 and they went on to close out the set and the match by the score of 25-23 in the fourth and final set.

Leina Chu had 47 assists for the match to go with 14 digs.  Dream Takemoto led the way with 29 digs and was a perfect 2-for-2 on the attack.  Katey Cramer provided 19 digs, followed closely by Alayna Hughes with 18.  

Willamette is home again on Saturday, November 2nd vs. Whitworth University, and Tuesday, November 5th vs. Pacific University.  The Bearcats will honor Olivia Cadien, Kaitlyn Westby, Sydney Locke, and Riley Cedergreen after the match against Whitworth as those four student-athletes close out their volleyball careers at Willamette University this week.