McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Visiting Whitworth used a huge third-set rally to turn a potential upset loss into a 3-1 win over the Linfield Wildcats on Saturday night at Ted Wilson Gym.
The Pirates (15-2 overall, 9-1 NWC) avoided a second upset loss to Linfield (7-10, 4-6 NWC) this season with the 25-17, 24-26, 25-21, 25-21 victory. The Wildcats knocked off the Bucs 3-1 in Spokane on September 16th.
Whitworth broke away from an 11-11 tie in the opening set with an 8-3 run. Kaylee Winterroth had consecutive kills to put the Pirates up 19-14. Linfield got within 20-17 on a Whitworth attack error, but the Pirates closed with five straight points. Winterroth finished with four kills in the set for the Bucs.
The second set featured eight ties and four lead changes. Linfield took two-point leads four times over the final stages of the set, and four times Whitworth scored twice to retie the game. The final time happened when the Pirates scored twice, including a Lauren Kremer kill, to tie the set 24-24 after the Wildcats had two set points. Linfield responded with two more points to pull out the game. Kremer had six kills in the set without an error for the Pirates, while Tatum Montiel had five kills for Linfield.
When the Wildcats opened up a 16-8 lead in the third set, they looked on their way to the second upset of the season over Whitworth. The Pirates outscored Linfield 17-5 over the rest of the set. The Bucs used a 7-0 run to take their first lead at 20-19. Nora Myre's ace put the Wildcats ahead 21-20 before Whitworth scored the final five points to win the set, getting the final point on Lindsey Short's block.
The Pirates never trailed or were tied in the fourth set, building a huge lead and then holding off Linfield's late rally. Consecutive attack errors by the Wildcats allowed the Bucs to go ahead 20-7. Linfield began to chip away and got within 23-20 before Whitworth put the match away.
Kremer led the Pirates with 13.5 points, getting 10 kills and seven block assists. Bryanna Dodson added 12.5 points with nine kills, three aces and a block assist. Alyssa Baird totaled 12 points with eight kills, two aces and four block assists. Whitworth survived a below-average hitting night (.098), their second-worst of the season. The defense stepped up with 10.0 team blocks and 22 digs by Olivia Paul.
Montiel led Linfield with 12 kills while Myre added 11. The Wildcats hit .051, but hung tough with 10 service aces.
Whitworth returns to action on Tuesday night with a home contest against Whitman.
