Whitman Downs Willamette, 3-0, as Queja Earns 9 Kills, 9 Digs for Bearcats

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Dani Queja (Jr., OH, Ewa Beach, HI/Maryknoll School) of Willamette University earned nine kills and provided nine digs, but Whitman College defeated the Bearcats in three sets on Friday, Oct. 22 at the Sherwood Center. Whitman won 25-18, 25-23, 25-20.

Queja was matched in kills by Olivia Cadien (Fy., OH, Mesa, AZ/Chandler Preparatory Academy), who also pound out nine scoring attacks for the Bearcats. Emma Porter (Jr., S, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) tacked on six kills, 24 assists, and five digs for Willamette. Shyla Sato (Jr., LIB, Honolulu, HI/MId-Pacific Institute) registered a match-high 13 digs, while Steele Jasa (Jr., S/LIB, Bend, OR/Summit HS) contributed nine digs. Lexi Martin (Jr., MH, Bellevue, WA/Interlake HS) produced four total blocks.

Whitman improved to 5-15 on the season and to 3-8 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette slipped to 7-9 overall, 4-7 in the NWC.

The Blues received 10 kills each from Nicole Kelly and Kenzie Martinez. Kelly committed just two attacking errors on her way to a .333 hitting percentage. She also provided Whitman with eight digs. Tate Cadang accumulated 24 assists and five digs. Brooke Valentine recorded nine digs. Sophia Dominitz led all players with five total blocks, including three solo blocks. 

In the first set, Whitman gained a 9-4 lead after 13 rallies. WU battled back to tie the score at 11-11 on an attacking error by the Blues, but Whitman moved in front with a 5-0 run. The Bearcats reduced the margin to 17-14 a few points later on a kill from Porter. Whitman held a 21-17 lead after a kill for the Bearcats by Cadien, but the Blues scored four of the next five points to win the set.

The Blues gained an 8-4 lead in the second set before the Bearcats went on a 4-1 run to pull within 9-8 on a combination block by Porter and Martin. Whitman added a 4-1 surge to take a 13-9 lead. Willamette trailed 21-17 later in the set, but rallied with a 5-0 run on one kill each from Queja, Martin, Jasa, and Cadien, plus a solo block from Martin, to attain a 22-21 advantage. The Blues tied the score and then claimed a 22-21 edge with a combo block by Dominitz and Martinez. A kill by Porter knotted the score again, but the Blues used a kill by Christina Boxberger and a combo block from Boxberger and Sydney London to achieve a 25-23 victory.

Willamette and Whitman played through seven ties and three lead changes in the third set before the Blues registered a 25-20 win. The teams were tied seven times in the first 20 points, including 10-10. Whitman scored two points in a row for a 12-10 margin and never relinquished the lead.

Even so, the Bearcats moved as close as one point four times, ending at 17-16 on a kill by Queja. Martinez added a kill for the Blues to open a 4-0 scoring surge, as Whitman earned a 20-16 edge. WU reduced the deficit to 22-20, but the Blues put together a 3-0 run to end the match.

Willamette will play at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, on Saturday, Oct. 23. Match time is set for 6 p.m. (PDT).