PORTLAND, Ore. – Whitworth won its third straight match in a three-set sweep on Friday night at Lewis & Clark College, defeating the Pioneers 25-20, 25-19, 25-14 in a Northwest Conference volleyball contest.

The Pirates (10-3 overall, 4-1 NWC) will put their three-match winning streak on the line on Saturday (12:00 pm) at George Fox.  The Bucs swept Whitman and Willamette in three sets each at home last week.

Whitworth jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the opening set, including two aces and a kill by Jaye Hodge.  The Pirates held the lead throughout the rest of the set, taking a 15-9 lead on a kill by Maddie Lee.  Another Hodge kill made it 23-15 before L&C (1-9, 0-5) used a 5-0 run to get within 23-20.  But Lee ended the run with a kill and Eva Millan ended the set with an ace.

The Pioneers led for much of the second set, taking an 8-4 lead on a block by Izzy Willis and Annika Traxler.  Whitworth tied the set 10-10 after back-to-back ball-handling errors.  L&C regained a 16-12 lead on a kill from Willis.  The Pirates closed the set on a 12-3 run to win going away.

Whitworth took the momentum into the final set.  After an early 5-5 tie, the Pirates used a 12-1 run to open a 17-6 lead.  Logan Spencer had three kills in the run.  Megan Lange ended the match with another ace.

Lee led Whitworth with nine kills, while Hodge had eight.  Milan finished with 13 digs and two aces.  Joelle Forbes (14) and Lange (12) combined for 26 assists.

Willis had 13 kills for Lewis & Clark.