SPOKANE, Wash. – A career-high 17 kills from Amblessed Okemgbo led Whitworth to a four-set victory over visiting Lewis & Clark in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Saturday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.
The Pirates evened their overall record at 5-5 and improved to 2-0 in the NWC with the 25-18, 24-26, 25-22, 25-16 win over the Pioneers (5-5, 0-2).
Whitworth jumped ahead 5-1 in the opening set on a kill by Abigail Hudson, but L&C rallied to take an 11-10 lead after an ace by Bethany Ballesteros ended a 5-0 run. The Pirates answered with a 5-1 run, capped by a kill from Ella Jimenez, to retake a three-point lead. Another Hudson kill made it 20-15 and Whitworth won the set on a Pioneer attack error. L&C had 10 attack errors in the frame.
The Pirates jumped out to a commanding 10-1 lead in the second set, but could not put the Pioneers away. L&C got within 11-6 after a kill by Annika Traxler and within 16-15 after Emily Strand's service ace. Whitworth appeared to retake control following a kill from Okemgbo and another Pioneer error, taking a 20-16 advantage. But L&C rallied again to take its first lead of the set (23-22) on a Traxler kill and they won it on a Whitworth error.
The third set featured 11 ties and four lead changes. L&C took its final lead of the set at 15-14 after a 3-0 run. There were two more ties before Kaity Barr's kill gave the Bucs a 22-20 lead they would not relinquish. Mya Rodriguez finished the set with a kill.
Whitworth led the entire fourth set after opening an 8-2 lead on a kill from Cassidy Franklin. When the Pioneers made another run, getting to within 10-8 on a block from Ella Ruark and Strand, the Pirates responded this time. Jimenez had three kills in a 5-0 run to extend the margin back to 15-8. Franklin and Rodriguez ended the match with Whitworth's 11th block of the night.
Okemgbo finished with a match-high 18.0 points, adding two block assists to her kill total. Barr added 17.5 points with 12 kills, two aces, one solo block and five block assists. Jimenez tied Barr with a dozen kills. Rodriguez played the entire match at setter and dished 31 assists and also led the team with 24 digs.
Strand led L&C with 9.5 points with six kills, an aces and five block assists. Traxler had seven kills for the Pioneers, but also 11 errors. L&C served 12 aces, including four by Ballesteros.
Whitworth hits the road for matches at Pacific (Ore.) and George Fox next weekend.
