SPOKANE, Wash. - Lewis-Clark State College defeated Willamette University 30-21, 30-19, 30-19 to win the 2007 Whitworth Invitational, going 4-0 during the tournament to improve to 6-2 this season. The Warriors' Cintia Alessi was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Click here for results/schedules and box scores.

Moore was named to the All-Tournament team

LCSC and Willamette (2-6) each won the early matches of the day to advance to the championship contest. The Warriors defeated fellow Frontier Conference member Montana-Western 30-17, 30-18, 30-9, while the Bearcats came from behind to defeat the host Pirates 28-30, 30-27, 30-27, 30-26.

Alessi led LCSC in kills in both matches today. She had nine in the win over Western and 11 in the title match

Kelly Lindstrom was Willamette's leader today. The outside hitter had 15 kills in the win over Whitworth and seven in the loss to LCSC.

Whitworth (5-3) defeated Western (0-10) 30-28, 25-30, 30-21, 30-23 in the third place contest. Sarah Rusch had 41 kills in today's two matches: 22 in the loss to Willamette and 19 in the win over the Bulldogs. Cassie Moore had 68 digs in the two matches for the Bucs.

Western setter Stephanie Couture finished with 69 assists and 23 digs in the Bulldogs' two matches.

The final standings of the tournament were as follows:

1. Lewis-Clark State (4-0)
2. Willamette (2-2)
3. Whitworth (2-2)
4. UM-Western (0-4)

The All-Tournament Team:

Cintia Alessi, LCSC (Jr., OH, Curitiba, Brazil) - MVP
Sarah Rusch, Whitworth (Jr., MB, Walla Walla, Wash.)
Kelly Lindstrom, Willamette (Jr., OH, Banks, Ore.)
Cassie Moore, Whitworth (Sr., Lib., Spokane, Wash.)
Stephanie Couture, UM-Western (So., S, Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Brittney Kubik, LCSC (Sr., MB, Ritzville, Wash.)

Whitworth will open Northwest Conference play next weekend when the Pirates host Pacific (Friday at 7:00 p.m.) and George Fox (Saturday at 5:00 p.m.) in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.