PORTLAND, Ore. – Cassanda Mendoza and Nicole Leonard combined for 29 kills to lead visiting Whitworth to a 3-1 come-from-behind win over Lewis & Clark on Saturday night at Pamplin Gymnasium.

The final set scores were 29-31, 25-21, 25-20, 25-8.  The win gives the Pirates an outright Northwest Conference championship with a 13-3 mark and a 19-7 overall record heading into the 2015 NCAA Division III tournament.  The Pioneers finish the season 10-13, 7-9.

The first set had echoes of Friday night's fifth set at Willamette.  The Pirates built a 21-16 lead, but could not close out Lewis & Clark before the Pioneers tied the set 24-24.  Then Whitworth fought off five set points before an attack error gave L&C the 31-29 win.  Julie Somers had six kills in the set for the Pioneers and Mendoza had five for Whitworth.

The second set may have been a turning point in the match, and the team's quest for a title.  Once again Whitworth built a 21-16 lead and once again Lewis & Clark rallied.  A service ace pulled the Pioneers to within 23-21.  But Whitworth regrouped after a timeout and won the second frame 25-21 after a kill and a service ace from Brenna Bruil.

The third set was the Pirates turn to come from behind.  L&C took a 15-10 lead after a block.  But Whitworth outscored L&C 15-5 from that point, tying the set 19-19 on a kill by Haley Vick.  Mendoza's kill ended the set in Whitworth's favor 25-20.  Mendoza had six kills in the third frame.

The Pirates used that momentum to run away with the fourth and final set.  Leading 6-3, Whitworth used an 11-0 run to grab an insurmountable 17-3 lead.  The Pirates hit .378 in the final set, led by Leonard's five kills.

Mendoza finished with 15 kills, while Leonard had 14 kills and 15 digs.  Karina Lees chipped in with ten kills while Vick finished with nine.  Maddye Dinsmore dished 47 assists and added 16 digs.

Somers had 11 kills to lead L&C.

Whitworth will find out where and when it will open the NCAA tournament, and who the opponent will be, on Monday morning when the field is announced at 8:00 pm (PST).