Kelsey Bumgarner, Whitworth Sports Information Intern

Complete box score and play by play

Kaimi Rocha had 14 kills and 15 digs

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth handed Puget Sound its first volleyball loss in Northwest Conference play 3-1 (25-18, 13-25, 25-19, 25-16) on Friday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

Kills by Brynn Blickenstaff and Kelsie Telge gave the Loggers a quick 2-0 lead. But Nikki Bardwell (Sr., OH, Colville, Wash.), Ka’ipo Rocha (Fr., MB, Pukalani, Hawaii) and Kaimi Rocha (Fr., OH, Pukalani, Hawaii) each had three kills for the Bucs, who quickly gained a lead. Blickenstaff led UPS with five kills and Jamee Fred contributed nine assists for the Loggers in the first set. The set ended 25-18 on a service error by Lindsey Denman.

Denman recovered to help UPS take an early 4-0 lead with two service aces at the beginning of the second set. The Loggers took control as Erika Greene slammed down five kills and Whitworth saw multiple errors on attacks and serves. The set ended on a service ace by Natalie Monro 25-13.

Whitworth regained its composure in the third set, jumping to an early 4-0 lead with a kill by Ka’imi Rocha and a service ace by Holly Tomlin (Sr., MB, Kirkland, Wash.). The Loggers came back to even the score at 10-10 with kills by Blickenstaff, Greene, and Kalli Kamphaus, but the Bucs went on a 6-1 run as the Loggers were plagued by errors. The match ended 25-19 on a UPS error by Greene.

In the fourth set Whitworth took another 4-0 lead and never looked back. Kaimi Rocha grabbed five kills, and Jordan Hoffnagle (Fr., S, Spokane, Wash.) and Bree Riddle (Fr., S, Spokane, Wash.) combined for 13 assists. Ka’ipo Rocha ended the set and the match with a kill, giving Whitworth its first victory over UPS since 2005.

Kaimi Rocha led the Bucs with 14 kills and 15 digs. Riddle ended the match with 23 assists, while Hoffnagle added 17, and Bethany Castilleja (Sr., LIB, Kennewick, Wash.) headed up the Pirate defense with 23 digs. Whitworth hit .161 in the match.

Denman led the Loggers with 9 kills and 10 digs. Greene had 10 kills, Stephanie Harvey 20 assists, and Fred contributed 17 assists. The Loggers hit .141 as a team.

Whitworth, now 9-8 overall and 2-3 in the NWC, will stay in Spokane to play Pacific Lutheran on Saturday at 5 pm. Ninth-ranked UPS (9-4, 4-1) will travel to Walla Walla to play Whitman.

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