Box Score SALEM, Ore. – Brenna Bruil accounted for 17 points to lead visiting Whitworth to its seventh straight volleyball victory with a Northwest Conference sweep at Willamette on Saturday night. Whitworth won 26-24, 26-24, 25-17
Bruil had 11 kills, three aces and was in on four blocks for the Pirates (10-3 overall, 4-0 NWC), who remained tied with Puget Sound for first place in the conference standings.
Whitworth trailed 12-9 in the opening set before using a 6-1 run to go ahead 15-13. Emiko Kahler had a pair of kills in the run. Willamette went back ahead 19-18 on a service ace, but Whitworth scored four straight to retake control. The Bearcats rallied a final time to tie the set 24-24 on a block by Jennifer Lane. But a Willamette service error and a Bearcat attack error gave the opening set to the Pirates.
Whitworth jumped to a quick 5-1 lead in the second set before the Bearcats came back to tie the frame 7-7. Willamette took its largest lead at 13-10 on a Pirate attack error. But the Pirates regrouped with an 8-2 run, including consecutive kills by Bruil. Like in the opening set, Willamette forced a 24-24 tie. But the Bucs finished off the frame with kills by Bruil and Kahler.
Whitworth looked to run away with the final set, jumping to leads of 12-3 and 17-6. Willamette forced its way back to within 20-17 with an 11-3 run. But those were the final Bearcat points as Whitworth finished on a 5-0 spurt. Bruil ended the match with a kill and a service ace.
Kahler led the Pirates with 12 kills. Erin White dished 36 assists, while Taylor Wicht had 14 digs for Whitworth.
Alexa Dowdell had 12 kills to lead Willamette (3-9 overall, 1-3 NWC).
Whitworth will return to action on Friday, September 30th when the Pirates host Puget Sound – another team on a seven-match winning streak.
