Box Score MCMINNVILLE, Ore.– Whitworth University concluded the first half of Northwest Conference play with a 25-21, 25-20, 25-21 sweep at Linfield on Friday evening. The Bucs (12-5 overall, 7-1 NWC) lead the conference by a half a game. The Wildcats dropped to 5-10, 0-7.
The Pirates won the first set handily. Linfield kept things close until a kill from Madison Douglas stretched the lead to 11-6. The Bucs used a 5-0 run to take a 20-10 lead, but Linfield rallied to within 24-21. A kill from Jessica Schmautz sealed the stanza for Whitworth.
Whitworth jumped on the Wildcats early with a 5-0 lead in set two, but Linfield came back to tie it 10-10. Laina Damon had a big service ace at 14-10, but the Wildcats rallied to take the lead 17-16. Lauren Budde had two consecutive kills that put the Bucs up 21-18, and Douglas finished off the set with the final point.
Whitworth finished the match with a strong final set. Emiko Kahler had a kill to put the Bucs up 12-4. Linfield rallied again, getting to within 23-21 on Tessa Doerfler's service ace. Doerfler followed with a service error and Schmautz ended the match with her final kill.
Budde led the Pirates with 16 kills, and Schmautz added 15. Addy Woolery and Schmautz had 13 digs apiece. Erin White dished 43 assists and served two aces.
Regan Dean of Linfield had 8 kills, and Taylor Souza contributed 20 digs.
The Pirates will head back to the Fieldhouse on Wednesday, October 10th to take on Lewis-Clark State in a non-conference match for the second time this season.
