Cadien leads Bearcats with 12 kills in loss to Pacific Lutheran

Salem, OR - Volleyball had their four-game winning streak snapped at home in a 3-0 to Pacific Lutheran, 25-20, 25-16, 25-16.  Olivia Cadien led Willamette in kills for the match with 12.

The Lutes took the first two points of the match before the Bearcat took the next four for a 4-2 lead.  Pacific Lutheran took the lead back at 9-6 before Willamette grabbed 7 of the next 8 points, two on service aces by Alayna Hughes, to go up 13-10.  In the back-and-forth first set, it was the Lutes's turn to go on a run as they won the next five points and eventually took the first set 25-20.

The Bearcats took an early lead in set two, but another PLU point streak turned a 5-2 Willamette advantage into a 10-5 deficit for the Bearcats.  Willamette would battle to stay close and a pair of kills from both Nora Wade and Caroline Jameson got the Bearcats back to 14-9, but five straight points by the Lutes gave them a 19-9 advantage and they closed out the second set 25-16.

The third set was a copy of set two.  Cadien started strong in the third set with Willamette's first three kills and another 5-2 lead, but Pacific Lutheran would again go on a run and take an 8-5 lead of their own.  The Bearcats were within one point at 11-10 before the Lutes won 10 of the next 11 points to take a 21-11 lead and they went on to close out the match 25-16.

Leina Chu had 27 assists for Willamette.  Dream Takemoto led the Bearcats in assists with 16, followed by Chu with 12 and Katey Cramer with 10.

Willamette's next match is at home vs the University of Puget Sound at 7:00 pm on Saturday, October 19th.