WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Whitman held on to defeat visiting Whitworth in five sets in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Wednesday night, despite a career-high 26 kills from Ella Jimenez.
The Pirates (14-9 overall, 11-4 NWC) lost 26-24, 25-19, 23-25, 20-25, 16-14, their second straight five-set setback. The Blues (6-16, 5-10) won their second straight conference match.
The match might've been decided in the first set. Whitworth opened a 13-3 lead, getting four early kills from Jimenez. After a timeout, Whitman began to chip away, getting within 14-8. Trailing 20-14, the Blues closed on a 12-4 run, tying the set 23-23 on a kill by Nicole Kelly and winning the game on a block from Lilli Thompson. Whitman had five blocks in the opening set and hit .353.
The Blues took an early lead in the second set and never trailed again. They jumped ahead 9-3 on a service ace by Samantha Miller. The Pirates closed to within 13-12 on a Jimenez kill, but could get not closer. Whitman took a 23-15 lead before Whitworth got within 24-19 on an attack error. The Blues won the set on a block by Samantha Miller. Whitman continued its torrid pace, hitting .357.
The Pirates were in danger of suffering a sweep, falling behind the Blues 16-11 midway through the third set. Whitworth used a 6-1 run to tie the set 17-17 on Whitman's attack error. The Pirates went ahead 20-18 on a block by Jimenez and won the game on another Whitman error. Whitworth hit .341 in the third set, its best percentage of the match.
The Blues led 7-6 in the fourth set after an ace. The Pirates scored four straight, going up 10-7 on Whitman's error, and never trailed again. Josephine Thompson's surprise kill, gave Whitworth an 18-12 lead. The Bucs won the set on Stephanie Leach's service ace. Whitworth's block finally woke up, with three in the game.
The Pirates appeared headed to a five-set win, going ahead 10-5 on a block by Logan Spencer. Whitman regrouped and closed the match on an 11-4 run. The Blues tied the match 13-13 on a block, then won it 16-14 on a kill by Kenzie Martinez.
Jimenez finished with 27 points, adding a block to her career-high kill total. She hit .392 with only six kills in 51 attacks. Spencer had 14.0 points on 11 kills, two solo blocks and two block assists. Thompson played the entire match at setter and finished with her Whitworth career-high of 52 assists. She added six kills. Taylor Miche had 26 digs.
Martinez matched Jimenez with 26 kills for Whitman. Kelly finished with 13 kills and Thompson had a dozen. The Blues hit .246 and had ten blocks.
Whitworth has already clinched a spot in the upcoming NWC tournament and the Pirates know they will play George Fox in the first round at Pacific Lutheran. The Pirates will conclude the regular season at home against Linfield on Saturday.
