Box Score NEWBERG, Ore. – Maddie Lee and Jaye Hodge combined for 30 kills to lead visiting Whitworth to a 3-1 win at George Fox in a battle of teams tied for first place in the Northwest Conference volleyball standings.
The Pirates (11-3 overall, 5-1 NWC) held onto possession of first place in the league standings ahead of the Bruins (7-6, 4-2) with the 25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 25-17 win.
Whitworth took an 8-5 lead in the first set on a point by Megan Lange. GFU rallied with a 5-0 run to go ahead 10-8 on a kill by Bailey LeBreton. The Pirates answered with their own 5-0 run, including two kills from Hodge, and did not trail again in the set. Whitworth won the frame on a kill by Ella Jimenez.
George Fox led most of the second set. The Bruins went up 10-7 on a Pirate setting error and 15-13 on a kill by Caitlin Namecek. Whitworth took its first lead of the set at 19-18 on a Bruin attack error and won it on Hodge's service ace. Lee and Hodge had six kills each in the second set.
After the Pirates went ahead 5-2 in the third set on a Bruin error, George Fox outscored Whitworth 16-4 to go ahead 18-9 after a ball handling error. The Bruins led 24-18 when the Pirates closed to within 24-23 with five straight points. GFU ended the rally with Addison Roberson's sixth kill of the set.
The final stanza was tied four times in the early going, the final time at 10-10. Whitworth went on a 4-0 run, including back-to-back kills by Lee, and never trailed again. The Bruins were within 17-15 before the Pirates closed on an 8-2 run, winning the match on a kill by Jimenez.
Jimenez had 12 kills and three blocks (one solo, two assists), while Cassidy Franklin had six kills and seven blocks (two solo, five assists). Eva Millan finished with a season-high 30 digs. Lange and Joelle Forbes had 26 assists apiece as Whitworth hit .253 in the match.
Roberson had 16 kills for George Fox while Kassandra Staton had a dozen.
Whitworth will host Pacific (Ore.) and Linfield to close out the first half of the NWC schedule next weekend.
