Pioneers Defeat Bearcats in NWC Action, 25-21, 25-20, 25-20

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Lewis & Clark College received 13 kills from Katherine Fiedler, who hit .417 during the match, as the Pioneers defeated Willamette University, 3-0, in hard-fought Northwest Conference action at Cone Field House on Saturday, Oct. 3. Julie Stutzman (Sr., MH, Olympia, WA/Olympia HS) provided Willamette with 11 kills while hitting .476 for the match.

Lewis & Clark improved to 9-5 overall, 5-1 in the NWC. Willamette dropped to 5-9 overall, 2-4 in the conference.

Although L&C won in three sets, the match was highly competitive. L&C finished with 41 kills and Willamette had 40. Each team finished with 42 digs. The Pioneers were credited with 40 assists and the Bearcats achieved 37 assists.

The Pioneers gained an edge on serving errors, as L&C had just two and Willamette had nine. The Bearcats earned three serving aces and the Pioneers created two.

Willamette led 8-4 in the first set. Lewis & Clark eventually tied the score at 15-15 after Fiedler recorded three consecutive kills.

Jennifer Dowdy added a kill to give the Pioneers the lead, and L&C remained in front to win the set. A kill by Molly Blankenship (Jr., Priest River, ID/Lamanna HS/Spokane Falls CC) pulled Willamette within 22-21, but the Pioneers claimed the next three points for the win.

The second set was close until a tie at 14-14, as neither team led by more than two points. Lewis & Clark broke the deadlock with four consecutive points, and the Bearcats countered with two points of their own to get within 18-16. L&C outscored Willamette 7-4 the rest of the way to win the set.

Lewis & Clark owned a slim 5-4 lead early in the third set. The Pioneers used a 4-0 run, including kills by Jessamy Holland and Dowdy, to extend the margin to 9-4. Willamette battled back within 15-13 following a service ace by Danica Reed (Fr., OH, Arvada, CO/Arvada HS).

The Pioneers held off the Bearcats by creating another 4-0 run. Margaret Dowling earned two of the points on kills, helping L&C take a 19-13 lead. The Pioneers won the set 25-20 to complete the match.

Dowling achieved five kills during the third set, while Stutzman pounded out four kills for Willamette. Stutzman also recorded four kills in the first set and claimed three kills in the second set.

Fielder and Stutzman were the only players with double-digit kill totals. Dowling contributed eight kills for L&C. Jessie McGraw (Sr., OH, Gaston, OR/Yamhill-Carlton HS/Corban College) provided nine kills for WU.

Lou Ohki led the Pioneers with 21 digs. Leia Matsunaga supplied 10 digs and 36 assists.

Blankenship accumulated 11 digs for Willamette. McGraw finished with eight digs and led all players with two service aces. Brigit Miller (Fr., S, Olympia, WA/Olympia HS) dished out 30 assists.

The Bearcats will play at George Fox University on Friday, Oct. 9. Match time in Newberg, Ore., is slated for 7 p.m. (PDT).