Pirates Push #21 Loggers to the Brink of the Fifth Set

TACOMA, Wash. -- Whitworth University nearly pulled off its second upset of the season against 21st-ranked University of Puget Sound, but the visiting Pirates fell just short in a 25-14, 18-25, 22-25, 25-14, 16-14 loss to the Loggers on Friday night.

Morgan Veleke (Sr., OH, Kennewick, Wash.) posted a career-high 16 kills to lead all players, but it wasn't quite enough for the Pirates (9-15 overall, 5-8 NWC), who rallied from way down in the fifth set.

Trailing 7-1 and 13-7 in the final set, Whitworth stormed back to tie the set 14-14 on a kill by Randi Stephens (Jr., MB, Bozeman, Mont.). But the Loggers (15-8, 9-4) regrouped to grab the final two points of the match.

UPS pulled away from a 7-6 lead in the first set with a 9-1 run. The Loggers finished the set with back to back kills by Kalli Kamphaus.

But the Pirates responded by jumping ahead early in the second set and never trailing. Veleke's kill gave Whitworth a 10-4 lead and the Bucs stretched the advantage to 18-9 on Jordon Hoffnagle's (So., S, Spokane, Wash.) service ace. Whitworth won the set on another kill by Veleke.

The upset bid got serious when Whitworth hung on to win the third set. The Bucs got another big early lead, 10-3, after a kill by Tracy Schwada (Sr., RS, Whitefish, Mont.). But UPS began to chip away slowly, finally pulling to within 23-22 after a kill by Brynn Blickenstaff. But Brynn DeLong (Jr., OH, Spokane, Wash.) answered with a kill and Kaimi Rocha (So., OH, Pukalani, Hawaii) ended it with a kill.

The fourth set went much like the first as UPS refused to go out on its own floor so easily. Blickenstaff's kill gave the hosts a 16-8 lead and Juliette Witous ended it to set up the drama of the fifth and final set.

Ka'ipo Rocha (So., MB, Pukalani, Hawaii) added 11 kills for the Pirates, while DeLong finished with nine kills and Stephens had seven kills and five blocks. Bree Riddle (So., S, Spokane, Wash.) dished a season-high 37 assists and Ariana Obert (So., Lib, Deer Park, Wash.) led all players with 21 digs.

Blickenstaff had 12 kills and Kamphaus had 11 for the Loggers.

Whitworth will stay in Tacoma to take on newly crowned NWC champion Pacific Lutheran on Saturday at 5:00 p.m.