SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth University, unbeaten through the first half of the Northwest Conference volleyball schedule, will hit the road for a pair of matches in Oregon this weekend, looking to extend an eight-game winning streak. The Pirates will play at George Fox on Friday night (7:00 pm) and at Pacific (Ore.) on Saturday (6:00 pm).
For those fans planning to attend Friday's match, George Fox University will require fans to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status. On Saturday, Pacific will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of the event. Please plan accordingly. Fans can also check the Whitworth volleyball schedule for live links to this weekend's matches.
The Pirates: Whitworth (13-2 overall, 8-0 NWC) finished off the first half of its NWC schedule with victories over Whitman and Lewis & Clark last week.
The Pirates swept Whitman 25-19, 25-20, 25-9 at home on Wednesday night, getting stronger as the match wore on. The Bucs hit .276 and held the Blues to a .000 team hitting percentage. Cassidy Franklin had nine kills without an error in 15 attempts (.600) and added a block. Joelle Forbes had 12 of Whitworth's 36 assists to direct the offense. Saylor Anderson served three aces. The Pirates extended their winning streak over Whitman to seven in a row.
Whitworth lost the opening set for the third time in conference play this season, and for the third time the Pirates rallied to win, this time in five sets (25-27, 25-19, 26-24, 24-26, 15-9). The Bucs finished with season highs in kills (66) and assists (63). Kaity Barr had a big match with 17 kills (.438), nine block assists and an ace for a total of 22.5 points. Maddie Lee had 16 kills on offense and 17 digs on defense. Cassidy Franklin had 14 kills while hitting .619.
NWC Stat Leaders: Whitworth leads the Northwest Conference in several statistical categories. Most notably, the Pirates lead the NWC and rank third in all of NCAA DIII in team blocks per set (2.41). They also rank first in the NWC in kills per set (12.61), assists per set (11.65), team hitting percentage (.209), opponents' hitting percentage (.108), and they are second in digs per set (17.15).
Individually, Lee is second in points per set (4.10) and in kills per set (3.55). Barr is first in blocks per set (1.18, 7th in DIII) and second in hitting percentage (.336). Franklin is now first in hitting percentage (.347) and third in blocks per set (0.95). Anderson is second in service aces per set (0.55) and Eva Millan is fifth in digs per set (4.95).
NWC Poll: Whitworth was picked first on eight out of nine ballots in the 2021 NWC preseason coaches poll. The Pirates had 64 points to outdistance PLU, who had the remaining first place vote and 56 points. Puget Sound was third in the poll (45 points), while Pacific (Ore.) was fourth (43 points). Coaches cannot vote for their own school.
The Coach: Kati Bodecker, 140-59 heading into her ninth season guiding the Pirates, is a three-time Northwest Conference Coach of the Year after leading Whitworth to four NWC championships in her first eight seasons. Bodecker has also directed the Pirates to four appearances in the NCAA Division III tournament (2014, 2015, 2016, 2019). In 2013 she coached the Bucs to a 15-13 record, becoming the first Whitworth volleyball coach to post a winning record in her first season since Margaret Campbell in 1990. She previously had been the head coach at Priest River High School, leading the Spartans to five state tournament appearances, including a runner-up finish in 2012. She was a four-year starter at the University of Idaho, helping lead the Vandals to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances as a sophomore and junior.
The Opponents: George Fox University (8-6 overall, 3-5 NWC) has played all 14 matches away from home this season, concluding that stretch with a 3-2 loss at Puget Sound and a 3-1 win at Linfield last weekend. The Bruins are having work done on their home court, causing the unusual schedule. Their remaining games will all be at home. GFU ranks second in the NWC in team blocks per set (1.89), led by junior Bailey LeBreton, who averages 1.15 blocks per set and hits 2.22 kills per set. Kassandra Staton leads the team offensively with 3.33 kills per set. Whitworth won the first meeting between the teams on September 17 in Spokane 3-1 after dropping the opening set. Maddie Lee had 18 kills and 17 digs in the win.
Pacific (Ore.) is 4-9 overall and 3-5 in the NWC heading into Friday night's contest against Whitman. The conference win total includes a victory credited by the league after Linfield forced a no-contest due to COVID-19 protocols. The Boxers make opponents work for every point, leading the NWC in digs per set (17.36). Senior MB Elika Unti averages 2.53 kills per set, including 23 in this season's match at Whitworth, and hits .325. Senior libero Haley Walz leads the league in digs per set (5.58). Whitworth won the first two sets against Pacific on Sept. 18 before the Boxers rallied to win the next two. The Pirates won the fifth frame 15-12 as Cassidy Franklin finished with 13 kill and six blocks.
Coming Up Next: Whitworth will return home to host Linfield and Willamette on October 22-23.
