TACOMA, Wash. — Whitworth University closes the first half of the Northwest Conference volleyball schedule with sole possession of first place in the standings after sweeping third place Puget Sound on the road on Saturday night.

The Pirates (16-2 overall, 8-0 NWC) defeated the Loggers (9-6, 6-2) 25-20, 25-21, 25-21.  Had UPS won the match, it would have created a three-way tie in the standings with PLU (12-5, 7-1).

Whitworth trailed for most of the first set, falling behind 8-4 and 12-9.  The Pirates still trailed 18-17 before closing the set on an 8-2 run.  Ella Jimenez had consecutive kills during the streak and the Bucs won the set on Megan Lange's service ace.  Jimenez finished with seven kills in the set.

Whitworth gave up an early lead in the second set after getting up 9-7 after a Logger attack error.  UPS used a 6-2 run to go ahead 13-11, but Whitworth answered with its own 7-1 spurt to move to an 18-14 lead.  The Pirates led 21-16 on a Jimenez kill before the Loggers got within 22-21 with a block.  Whitworth scored the final three points, winning the set on an ace by Olivia Paul.

The Pirates never trailed in the third set after jumping out to a 6-0 lead.  But they had trouble putting the Loggers away.  UPS pulled within 14-13 after another block before Whitworth scored four straight to rebuild breathing room.  The winning point came on a Loggers' setting error.

Jimenez led Whitworth with 16 points on 14 kills, one ace and two block assists.  Cassidy Franklin had 11 points on 10 kills (.643) and two block assists.  Taylor Miche had three of the Pirates' nine aces and led the team with a dozen digs.  Josephine Thompson had 22 of Whitworth's 41 assists. 

Erin Fagan had 11 kills for UPS while Maddie Badger led the team with 11.5 points on eight kills, three solo blocks and a block assist.

The Pirates will open the second half of their conference schedule on the road at George Fox and Pacific (Ore.) next weekend.