Box Score TACOMA, Wash. – Whitworth University broke a four-match losing streak with a 25-21, 25-16, 25-20 Northwest Conference volleyball win at the University of Puget Sound on Saturday night.
The Pirates improved to 4-6 overall and 1-1 in the NWC while the Loggers dropped to 4-5, 1-1.
Cassandra Mendoza led Whitworth with 14 kills as the Bucs posted a season high hitting percentage of .287.
Trailing 16-14, Whitworth rallied to pull out the first set. The set was tied 20-20 when the Bucs finished on a 5-1 run. Lauren Budde began the run with a kill and Taylor Wicht followed with a service ace. Mendoza ended the set with a kill.
Whitworth jumped out early in the second set, taking 9-4 lead on a block by Budde and Madison Douglas. The Pirates extended the lead to 17-8 on a kill by setter Gracie Meiners and won the set 25-15 on another Douglas-Budde block combination.
The Loggers had a 13-10 lead in the third following a Pirate setting error. But Whitworth went on an 12-4 run to take control. Emiko Kahler's service ace made it 22-17 in the Pirates' favor. Mendoza ended the match with her 14th kill.
Meiners had a strong all-around match with 33 assists, six kills, seven digs and an ace. Kahler finished with nine kills and Budde had eight for the Bucs. Douglas totaled five kills and was in on five block assists.
Whitworth will finally get to play at home in 2017 when the Pirates host Whitman College on Wednesday night in the Fieldhouse.
