Willamette Wins Volleyball Match at Lewis & Clark, 3-1

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

PORTLAND, ORE. -- Madisyn Leenstra (Jr., MH/OH, Bellingham, WA/Sehome HS) pounded out a match-high 21 kills and Willamette University won the key points in the final three sets, as the Bearcats defeated Lewis & Clark College, 3-1, on Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Pamplin Sports Complex.

The Bearcats advanced their record to 6-9 overall, 3-3 in the Northwest Conference. L&C dropped to 6-10 overall, including 2-4 in the NWC.

Willamette overcame a loss in the first set to record the win, 17-25, 28-26, 27-25, 25-23. The Bearcats have won a total of five matches this season when losing the first set.

Leenstra's attacking led the way on offense for Willamette, with Carly Hargrave (So., MH, Happy Valley, OR/Clackamas HS) adding nine kills for the Bearcats. Hargrave hit .318 for the match.

The Bearcats also received solid defensive play from Kathy Lee Glenn (Jr., LIB/DS, Murrieta, CA/Vista Murrieta HS) and Danica Reed (Jr., OH, Arvada, CO/Ralston Valley HS). Glenn provided WU with 22 digs while Reed contributed 20. Setter Emily Compton (So., Portola, CA/Portola HS/Boise State Univ.) supplied 35 assists.

Kataleya Milan led L&C with 20 kills. She also earned 17 digs. Elena Hoff finished with a match-high 24 digs. Leia Matsunaga accumulated 48 assists.

In the first set, L&C broke a 7-7 tie with three consecutive points and remained in front the rest of the way. The Pioneers amassed 16 kills during the game and hit .289 as a team.

The teams were tied nine times in the second set, which also feature five lead changes. After trailing 4-1, the Bearcats battled to take a 10-7 lead on a kill by Reed. L&C countered with a 7-1 run, as the Pioneers surged back in front, 14-11.

Lewis & Clark also led 17-13, but WU rallied to pull within 18-17 on another kill by Reed. The Bearcats eventually tied the set at 22-22 after back-to-back attacking errors by the Pioneers. An additional hitting error gave WU a 23-22 lead and forced a timeout from L&C.

Two consecutive tallies brought L&C to set point, but Willamette tied the game at 24-24, as Reed supplied the kill. Reed followed up with a serving ace, but L&C used a kill by Milan to tied the game at 25-25. WU missed another chance to win the set with a 26-25 lead, but the Bearcats didn't miss at 27-26, when Kirsten Brehmer (So., MH/OPP, Evergreen, CO/Evergreen HS) ended the set with a service ace.

The third set also had nine ties and began with L&C taking the lead at 5-1 and 8-6. Willamette surged in front with a 6-0 run for a 12-8 advantage. L&C tied the score at 13-13 with a kill from Milan, and the score also was tied at 14, 15, 16, and 18. A kill by Hargrave, an ace by Glenn and an attacking mistake by the Pioneers gave WU a 21-18 edge.

Later, WU owned a 24-21 margin, but Lewis & Clark scored points on the next three rallies. The score was tied for the final time in the set at 25-25. Willamette registered the net two points on a hitting error by L&C plus a kill from Hargrave.

Willamette and Pioneers were tied 12 times -- and their were four lead changes -- in the fourth set. The Bearcats led 13-9, but L&C scored the next four points and neither team led by more than two points the rest of the way. The Pioneers took the lead at 19-18 and 20-19, before WU regained an advantage with kills from Shannon Waltz (So., MH, Honolulu, HI/La Pietra HS) and Leenstra. A solo block by Waltz increased the lead to 22-20.

After Lewis & Clark tied the set at 22-22, the Bearcats won two rallies to reach match point. The Pioneers staved off the first match point with a kill by Milan, but Leenstra followed with a kill for the Bearcats to conclude the match.

WU continued its solid blocking in several recent matches by earning 11.0 team total blocks. Waltz achieved six total blocks and Hargrave earned five. L&C ended the night with 8.0 team total blocks, including four block assists by Margaret Dowling.

The Bearcats will host Pacific University on Friday, Oct. 7 at Cone Field House. Match time is 7 p.m. (PDT).