SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth bounced back from its first Northwest Conference volleyball loss in two seasons in impressive fashion with a sweep of visiting Whitman on Wednesday night in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Pirates (8-3 overall, 2-1 NWC) played in front of their home fans for the first time this season in the 25-18, 25-11, 26-24 victory over the Blues (3-8, 1-2). 

The teams traded points and leads three times in the opening set before Whitworth pulled away in the second half of the frame.  With the set tied 13-13, the Bucs used a 6-2 run to take a 19-15 lead on a kill by Logan Spencer.  Whitworth continued to stretch the advantage and won it 25-18 on a kill by Ella Jimenez.  The Pirates hit .394 in the set compared to .194 for the Blues.

Whitworth used a 13-0 run in the second set to turn a 4-4 tie into an insurmountable 17-4 lead.  The Pirates won the second game 25-11 after hitting .500 as a team with 11 kills and only two errors in 18 attacks.  Spencer had three kills.

The final set was easily the tightest of the three as Whitman fought hard to avoid the sweep.  The final game included 12 ties and three lead changes, the final coming when Whitworth turned a 21-20 deficit into a 22-21 lead behind a kill and a block from Jimenez.  The Blues tied it up three more times before Cassidy Franklin ended it 26-24 with a kill. 

Maddie Lee had six kills in the final set and led Whitworth with 12 in the match.  Spencer finished with eight kills and hit .727 with no errors in 11 attacks.  Spencer also had three blocks (1 solo, 2 assists.  Jimenez had six kills and three block assists.  Joelle Forbes (20) and Megan Lange (17) combined for 37 assists as the Pirates finished with a season-high .370 hitting percentage.

Nicole Kelly finished with 11 kills while Christina Boxberger had 10 kills and a .600 hitting percentage for Whitman.  The Blues hit .146 as a team with Teia Magaoay getting 24 assists.

Whitworth will continue at home on Saturday when the Pirates host Willamette University.