PARKLAND, Wash. – Visiting Whitworth pulled out a battle between the last two unbeaten Northwest Conference volleyball teams by hanging tough through the first three sets and then dominating the fourth in a 3-1 victory at Pacific Lutheran on Friday night.
The Pirates won 24-26, 28-26, 25-23, 25-14 to end a three-match losing skid to PLU and improve to 15-2 overall and 7-0 in the NWC. The Lutes fell to 10-5, 6-1.
The opening set featured 13 ties and six lead changes. Whitworth appeared set to win the opening set after an Ella Jimenez kill gave the Bucs a 22-18 lead. PLU fought back to tie the set 23-23 on a Pirate attack error and won it on another Whitworth error.
The second set was more competitive with 17 ties and ten lead changes. Neither team led by more than two points until the Lutes took an 18-15 lead on a kill by Alexis Eggert. Whitworth answered with a 6-1 run to take a 21-19 lead after a block by Cassidy Franklin and a Lute error. PLU fought back in front 26-25 after a kill from Claire Hindman before the Pirates scored the final three points. The Bucs had five blocks in the second game, including three by Franklin.
Somehow the third set even closer than the first two with 18 ties and 10 lead changes. Whitworth had the set's only lead larger than two points at 8-5 after a kill from Amblessed Okemgbo. It didn't last for long as PLU tied the game 9-9. The Lutes took a 19-17 lead after a kill from Shaela Allen-Greggs before the Pirates went ahead 22-21 following a kill from Franklin. Whitworth put the set away on a kill by Lauren Kremer. The Bucs had six more blocks, with three block assists each from Kremer and Franklin.
And then came the fourth set and Whitworth made a statement. Leading 10-8 the Pirates used an 8-0 run to blow the game open, led by three kills from Franklin. Whitworth hit .311 in the third set with 17 kills. Jimenez had five kills in the final frame.
Jimenez led the Bucs with 20 points, including 17 kills, an ace and four block assists. She also led Whitworth with 16 digs. Okemgbo had 13.5 points on 12 kills and three block assists, while Kremer had 13.5 points on 10 kills and seven block assists. Franklin finished with 12.5 points (8 kills, one solo block, seven block assists). The Pirates tied their season-high with 15 team blocks. Megan Lange and Josephine Thompson finished with 24 assists apiece as Whitworth hit .203.
Hindman and Allen-Greggs had 14 kills apiece for PLU. The Lutes hit .128 in the contest.
Whitworth will try to take the momentum into another tough contest on Saturday night at Puget Sound (9-6, 6-1).
