Pirates Can't Overcome Slow Start

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth University was unable to overcome a slow start against visiting Willamette University, losing a Northwest Conference volleyball match to the Bearcats 25-10, 25-21, 18-25, 25-15 on Saturday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Pirates lost their second straight conference match at home to open the NWC season, falling to 4-9 overall and 0-2 in the NWC. Willamette improved to 4-6, 1-1 after splitting its Eastern Washington road trip.

The Pirates came out asleep in the first set, hitting -.167 as a team. With the score tied 9-9 the Bearcats outscored the Pirates 16-1 the rest of the way, including a 13-0 run on the way to a 22-9 lead.

Willamette continued to apply pressure in the second set, grabbing a 12-4 lead after a kill by Jessie McGraw and a Whitworth error. The Pirates finally woke up and rallied to within 21-19 after an error by the Bearcats. But Whitworth could not make the comeback and lost 25-21 after a kill by Danica Reed.

Whitworth led the entire way in the third set. Only leading 12-11, the Bucs went on a quick 5-0 run for a 17-11 advantage. They put the set away on Jordon Hoffnagle's service ace.

The fourth set looked like it might be close for a while. But with the stanza knotted at 11-11, Willamette went on a 12-1 run to put the match away. Whitworth's final attack was long, giving the Bearcats the victory.

McGraw led the Bearcats with 12 kills and 15 digs, while Molly Blankenship added 11 kills and four blocks. Kathy Lee Glenn led Willamette with 17 digs and Julie Stutzman had a team-high six blocks. Setter Brigit Miller dug 39 balls.

Ka'ipo Rocha had seven kills and four blocks for Whitworth, while Kathy Taylor added six kills for the Bucs. But Whitworth only hit .007 for the entire match. Hoffnagle tied for match high honors with 17 digs, as did Randi Stephens with six blocks.

Whitworth will have to try to regroup on the road next weekend with matches at Lewis & Clark College (Friday) and George Fox (Saturday).