SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth University stormed back from a two set deficit to defeat visiting Whitman College 20-25, 24-26, 25-15, 25-14, 15-10 on Friday night in a Northwest Conference volleyball match.

The Pirates (4-0) got 18 kills and 19.5 points from Maddie Lee and 15 kills and 17.5 points from Akon A'leu.  Elyse Benavides led the Blues (1-2) with 13 kills and 16 points.

The Blues used an 8-2 run midway through the first set to build separation, turning a 10-10 tie into an 18-12 lead.  The set ended on a kill by Christina Boxberger with Whitman hitting .333 as a team in the frame, overcoming six kills by Lee.

Led by seven second-set kills from A'leu, Whitworth appeared poised to even the match.  However, the Blues stormed back to win game.  Whitworth used a 9-1 run to build a 20-14 lead and led 24-18 before Whitman scored the final eight points of the set.  The Blues served six aces in the second set and took advantage of five Pirate errors in the final rally.

Whitworth finally turned things around in the third game, starting with six more kills from Lee.  The Pirates never trailed, jumping ahead 4-1, 12-4 and 16-6.  Whitman hit only .036 in the frame.  Abby Wolverton had four kills in the set for the Bucs.

Whitworth continued to pour it on in the fourth set, hitting .348 as a team with ten kills and only two errors.  The Pirates also served four aces.  After trailing 3-1 early, Whitworth used a 6-1 run and never trailed again.

Whitman led 5-4 after a Pirate attack error early in the fifth set and it appeared the Blues had regained momentum.  Whitworth answered with an 8-2 run, taking a 12-7 lead on Whitman's attack error.  The Pirates never let the Blues back in it.

Whitworth hit .253 as a team and Wolverton gave the Bucs three players in double figures in kills with 11.  Saylor Anderson and Joelle Forbes combined for 51 assists, splitting time at setter.  Eva Millan helped spark the rally with five service aces, four after the second set.

Whitman hit .146 and Benavides was the only player to reach double figures in kills. 

The teams will meet again at 5:00 pm on Saturday.