WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Whitworth retained control of its drive toward a Northwest Conference volleyball championship with a dramatic five set, come-from-behind win at Whitman on Wednesday night.

For the second time in the last three weeks the 23rd-ranked Pirates (18-6 overall, 13-2 NWC) rallied from two sets behind on the road for a key conference victory. This time Whitworth won 20-25, 17-25, 25-18, 25-20, 15-13 over the Missionaries (3-18, 2-13).

Whitman came out determined to define its season with an upset of nationally-ranked Whitworth. The Missionaries completely controlled the first two sets and Whitworth led only after the opening point of the first set before Whitman took control. The Missionaries held the Pirates to a team hitting percentage of .014 through the first two sets, thanks mostly to a strong blocking effort by Rachel Cline and Olivia Nielson who were in on five and four blocks, respectively, in the opening two frames.

Meanwhile Whitworth senior OH Kaimi Rocha, the 2010 NWC Player of the Year, struggled against that block. She had only three kills and seven errors in 19 attacks through the first two sets.

But the Pirates began their turnaround in the third set. Grumbach posted six of her team-high 15 kills in that frame. Whitworth led 13-11 before breaking the set open with a 10-2 run. Grumbach had three of her kills during that run.

The fourth set was much closer. Whitman did not wilt against the Whitworth rally and the set included 12 ties and nine lead changes. The Missionaries took their final lead of the frame at 20-19 following a Pirate setting error. But Whitworth then scored six straight points to send the match to a fifth set.

Whitman continued to fight for the upset, grabbing a 9-5 lead following a kill by Megan Bafus. But Whitworth went on one more key run, outscoring the Missionaries 8-1 to take a 13-10 lead. Kaimi Rocha found her grove in that final set with three kills, two during the 8-1 rally and one after Whitman had pulled within 13-12. The match finally ended in Whitworth's favor after the Missionaries committed a serving error.

Grumbach finished with 15 kills, 17 digs and two aces. Kaimi Rocha rallied from her own rough start to total 11 kills and 18 digs. Ka'ipo Rocha posted 10 kills, while Kristine Kardell had eight kills and three blocks. Bree Riddle dished 45 assists and Whitney Santos served three aces. After hitting .014 through the first two sets, the Pirates finished with a team hitting average of .123.

Jillian Davis led Whitman with a match-high 19 kills. Bafus added 11 kills off of the bench. Cline and Nielson ended with seven blocks each and the Missionaries finished with a team blocking advantage of 12.0 to 4.0. Whitman hit .169 as a team.

Whitworth's previous rally from two sets down came on October 14th at George Fox. Also, this meeting was the fourth of the year between these two schools and the Bucs won all four. But the first and the last match-ups both went five sets.

The Pirates continue to hold a lead over 22nd-ranked and second-place Pacific Lutheran in the NWC standings. With a win over Lewis & Clark at home on Friday night, Whitworth will clinch its second straight NWC championship and the conference's automatic berth in the NCAA Division III tournament.