SPOKANE, Wash. - Puget Sound offensively overwhelmed Whitworth in three of four sets on the way to a 3-1 win over the Pirates in a Northwest Conference women's volleyball match on Saturday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Loggers (12-5 overall, 8-0 NWC) won 25-17, 25-18, 11-25, 25-16 to end the Pirates' (13-5, 7-1) school-record 25-match conference winning streak and take over sole possession of first place in the standings at the halfway point of the NWC schedule.

Puget Sound took the initiative from the opening points, jumping ahead 10-3 on a block by Maddie Badger.  Badger's kill extended the lead to 17-7 before Mia Fedota's kill ended the first game for UPS.  The Loggers hit .389 and Badger had seven kills in nine attacks.

Whitworth appeared to recover, taking a 7-4 lead in the second set on a kill by Amblessed Okemgbo.  The Pirates continued to lead 10-7 before UPS used a 4-0 run to go ahead 11-10 after consecutive Whitworth attack errors.  The teams traded points until it was 16-15 and then the Loggers closed on a 9-2 run, getting the set-winning point on a kill by Makela Pick.  UPS improved to a .400 hitting percentage in the second game, thanks to four more kills by Badger.

Whitworth briefly turned the tide in the third set.  The Pirates forced a UPS timeout at 6-1 after blocking Badger for a point.  The Bucs extended the lead to 11-2 on a kill from Lindsey Short and then to 19-7 after a UPS error.  Lauren Kremer's kill closed out the game.  It was Whitworth's turn to hit .400 in a set, including four kills by Short.

The Loggers did not stay down, getting out to an 8-2 lead in the fourth set on a kill by Mackenzie Leith.  Trailing 22-10, Whitworth was able to close to within 24-16 before a final Pirate error ended the match.  UPS returned to form, hitting .333 in the fourth game. 

Short led Whitworth with 13.5 points thanks to 12 kills and two blocks.  Okemgbo had eight kills, while Paige McKenzie gave a spark with seven kills and hit .583.  Whitworth finished the match with a hitting percentage of .132.

Badger dominated up front for UPS with 20 points on 16 kills (.414), an ace and three solo blocks.  Erin Fagan added 15 points thanks to 11 kills, three aces and a solo block.  The Loggers finished with a team hitting percentage of .270.

Whitworth will look to bounce back when the Pirates open the second half their NWC schedule at Willamette and Pacific (Ore.) next weekend.