SPOKANE, Wash. - Behind four players with double figures in kills, Whitworth University broke a three game losing streak with a 34-32, 28-30, 30-27, 30-22 win over visiting Willamette University in a Northwest Conference women's volleyball match on Friday night in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

Rusch led Whitworth with 18 kills, 7 blocks

Sarah Rusch (Jr., MB, Walla Walla, Wash.) had 18 kills and seven blocks, while Nikki Bardwell (Jr., OH, Colville, Wash.) contributed 14 kills to lead the Pirates (10-10 overall, 5-6 NWC). Holly Tomlin (Jr., MB, Kirkland, Wash.) added 13 kills and five blocks, while Cassie Moore (Sr., OH, Spokane, Wash.) finished with 11 kills, 19 digs and three aces. Holly Ridings (Sr., S, Spokane, Wash.) dished 49 assists to go with 18 digs and Bethany Castilleja (Jr., Lib., Kennewick, Wash.) had 24 digs.

Julie Stutzman had a match-high 19 kills and three blocks to lead the Bearcats (3-17, 0-11), while Jessica Durham chipped in with 14 kills and 26 digs. Kelly Lindstrom came off of the bench for 12 kills and Brittany Ashby dished a match-high 50 assists. Willamette libero Clare Chedester led all players with 28 digs.

Whitworth won the marathon first set that included 20 ties and six lead changes and took over 40 minutes. Neither team led by more than two points until back to back kills by Durham gave Willamette a 25-22 lead. The Pirates came back to go ahead 29-27 on a kill by Moore before the Bearcats tied it. Whitworth finally won the game on Castilleja's service ace. Rusch had seven kills in the frame for the Bucs.

After some early lead changes in the second game, Willamette took a 7-5 lead on an ace by Ashby and never trailed again. The Bearcats looked to be on the way to an easy win when they took a 27-19 lead after a Pirate attack error. But Whitworth rallied to within 29-28 before Durham finished the game with a kill.

The Pirates took the momentum into the third game, taking an early 5-0 lead and they never let Willamette get even. Whitworth's biggest lead (22-14) came after an ace by Jill Solbrack (Jr., OH, Colfax, Wash.), but the Bearcats fought back to within 29-27 after a Pirate attack error. But Willamette followed with a service error, giving Whitworth the game. Whitworth had five aces in the game.

A Pirate attack error in the fourth game gave Willamette a 13-11 advantage, but it would be the final lead for the Bearcats in the match. Whitworth went on a 7-0 run, taking an 18-13 lead with a block by Randi Stephens (Fr., RS, Bozeman, Mont.) and Tomlin. The Bucs stretch the lead to 25-16 and eventually won on a block by Stephens and Rusch.

Whitworth will host Linfield College on Saturday night, while Willamette continues its road trip with a match at Whitman College.