WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Lindsey Short scored 20.5 points to lead visiting Whitworth to a five-set win at Whitman in the first volleyball Battle of Whits on Tuesday night at the Sherwood Center.
The Pirates (8-2 overall, 2-1 NWC) prevented the Blues (4-5, 2-1) from taking sole possession of first place in the Northwest Conference standings in the early going of conference play by pulling out the 25-12, 23-25, 25-12, 20-25, 15-9 win.
Leading 11-8 in the opening set, the Pirates used a 7-1 run to go ahead 18-9 on Short's kill. Lauren Kremer had two late kills, including the set-winner, to end the opening game. Short had seven kills in the opening frame, while Kylie Winterroth had five.
Whitworth had a chance to take a two-set lead after a block from Paige McKenzie followed by a Madison Pridon service ace gave the Pirates a 21-16 lead. But the Blues closed on a 9-2 run to even the contest. Addie Belt had the set-winning kill. Kendall Herman had four kills in the set for the Blues and the Pirates committed 11 hitting errors.
The Pirates never trailed in the third set, running out to leads of 5-1, 8-2 and 14-3. The Pirates led 19-5 after a McKenzie kill and won the set on a kill from Short. Short and Kremer had four kills each and each had a service ace. Whitworth hit .394 in the game.
The Pirates led 12-9 in the fourth set before the Blues used an 8-2 run to go ahead 17-14 on consecutive aces from Belt. The Bucs were still within 22-19 on a kill by Winterroth, but Sammy Holmer closed out the game with a kill for Whitman. The Blues hit .278, their best game of the night, and Holmer had four of the kills.
Whitworth jumped out to a 7-2 lead on Kremer's kill in the decisive fifth set. The Blues got back within 11-9 on a Pirate attack error before the Bucs scored the last four points in a row. Bryanna Dodson ended the match with an ace.
Short had 17 kills, two aces, a solo block and a block assist for her 20.5 points. Kremer had 12 kills, three aces, three solo blocks and a block assist for 18.5 points. Winterroth had 15 kills and led the team by hitting .345. Madison Pridon had 38 assists and served three aces. Whitworth had 11 aces as a team.
Five different players had seven kills apiece for the Blues, including Holmer, Belt and Herman.
Both teams hit the road to play at Pacific (Ore.) this weekend. Whitman visits on Friday before Whitworth takes on the Boxers on Saturday.
