Pirates Open Northwest Conference Play
SPOKANE, Wash. -- The Whitworth University volleyball team opens Northwest Conference play this week when the Pirates host Linfield College (Friday) and Willamette University (Saturday) in the Fieldhouse. Both matches begin at 7:00 p.m. Whitworth finished 1-3 at the Cal-Lu-Fornia Classic last weekend. The Pirates are now 4-7 this season. Whitworth continued to demonstrate the "Jekyl and Hyde" play that has led to the rougher than expected start. On Friday the Pirates got off to a great start in their opener at the tournament, but steadily fell apart in a 15-25, 28-26, 25-17, 25-11 loss to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Later on Friday Whitworth pushed host Cal Lutheran to five sets before losing 25-10, 25-27, 19-25, 25-21, 15-13. Heading into Saturday, Whitworth was slated to take on a pair of nationally-ranked opponents. But Whitworth came up with a consistently solid effort to knock off sixth-ranked La Verne 27-25, 25-21, 25-20. Then the Pirates almost pulled a double-upset, but fell in five to 16th-ranked Trinity (Texas) 23-25, 25-19, 24-26, 25-20, 15-9. Kaimi Rocha (So., OH, Pukalani, Hawaii) led the Pirates in hitting with 2.24 kills per set. Ka'ipo Rocha (So., MB, Pukalani, Hawaii) had the highest hitting percentage (.270). Randi Stephens (Jr., MB, Bozeman, Mont.) had a very strong weekend defensively, averaging 1.0 blocks per set. Linfield also finished 1-3 at the same tournament as the Pirates, so the Wildcats come into the weekend with a 3-4 record. Emily Vuylsteke, Linfield's All-NWC middle blocker, leads the team offensively with a .361 hitting percentage and 2.24 kills per game. Last season Whitworth swept the Wildcats, winning 3-1 in McMinnville, Oregon and 3-2 in the season finale at home. Willamette is 3-5 this season, coming off of a dramatic 3-2 come-from-behind victory at Corban College on Tuesday night. Senior OH Jessie McGraw has returned to Willamette after two seasons at Corban. She leads the team in kills per set (3.59). In 2008 the Pirates defeated the Bearcats 3-0 in Spokane, but Willamette knocked off Whitworth 3-2 in Salem, Oregon. Next weekend Whitworth will travel to Oregon to take on Lewis & Clark (Friday) and George Fox (Saturday). |
