SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth let Pacific off of the hook in the first game, likely leading to a five game loss to the visiting Boxers in a Northwest Conference volleyball match by a score of 30-27, 23-30, 30-19, 20-30, 15-11 on Saturday evening in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

Florence led with 16 kills

The host Pirates (4-15 overall, 3-5 NWC) led the first game 10-3, 16-10 and 25-20 before Pacific (6-12, 3-5) outscored the Pirates 10-2 down the stretch. The Boxers benefited from two Pirate attack errors and two aces.

Then the teams traded convincing victories. In the second game Whitworth broke away from a 12-12 tie with an 8-2 run for a 20-14 lead. The Pirates won the game on a Pacific service error. The Boxers won the third game in similar fashion. The set was tied 12-12 when Pacific used an 8-1 run to take control. They eventually led 29-16 before winning by 11 points. The Pirates led from the outset of the fourth game. The Boxers pulled to within 19-16 after three straight Pirate errors, but Whitworth finished the game with an 11-4 run. Had the Bucs held on in the first set, the match might have been over.

Pacific jumped to a 5-0 lead in the fifth game and never trailed. Four of the points came on Pirate attack errors. Whitworth got within 11-10 on a kill by Angie Florence, but the Boxers closed with a 4-1 run and won on back to back kills by Jill Peacock.

Peacock led all players with 17 kills. Melissa Dunn added 12 kills and 20 digs for the Boxers. Alyssa Flynn led the team with 26 digs, and Joanna Delanty had five blocks. Anela Iseke dished 48 assists.

Florence led Whitworth with 16 kills, while Nicole Vander Meulen and Holly Tomlin added 13 kills each. Cassie Moore had 28 digs, and Holly Tomlin came up with 56 assists.

Whitworth will host Linfield next Friday at 7:00 pm. Pacific will play the same night at league-leading Pacific Lutheran.