WALLA WALLA, Wash. –
Abby Seethoff led the attack with a career high 20 kills but Whitman College wasn't able to get over the hump in a tight 3-1 loss to visiting league leader Willamette University Saturday evening in Northwest Conference volleyball action at the Sherwood Athletics Center.
The Missionaries (4-10, 2-6 NWC) never trailed in a Game 2 win that evened the score at 1-1, then owned a 23-22 lead in the third game before the Bearcats (11-5, 7-1) rallied to steal that win with the final three points to turn the match.
Willamette closed the night with a five-point win in the fourth in outlasting Whitman by scores of 25-16, 23-25, 25-23 and 25-20.
The visiting Bearcats looked as if they might run away with the night in the opener, rolling out to a quick lead that blossomed into a 15-point cushion. But behind serving from
Hannah Linsenmayer the Missionaries clawed their way back into the match with an 8-0 run before Willamette could re-balance itself and close out the win.
The next game, though, was all Whitman as it never trailed in opening leads that ballooned to as many as seven before fighting off the conference's top team for a two-point win.
The turning point of the match occurred late in the third game.
Trailing almost from the start and battling back from a pair of seven-point deficits the Missionaries moved in front 23-22 on an
Anna Dawson service ace. The momentum flipped to the other side of the net, however, as a service error and a pair of blocks lifted Willamette to the come-from-behind victory.
That momentum carried into the opening of the fourth game where Willamette raced out to a 6-0 lead before Whitman would answer with six of the next seven points to pull within one at 7-6.
Though they would never gain the lead over the remainder of the game Whitman also never allowed the Bearcats to pull away, finally succumbing on a 4-1 Bearcats run that finished off the game and match.
One of the differences on the night was Willamette's defensive work at the net as the Bearcats piled up 16 blocks to only five by Whitman.
Along with Seethoff's career night the Whitman attack picked up 11 kills from
Natalia Zea, the second highest total in her career.
The Missionaries continue with league action in their next outings, home matches against the University of Puget Sound on Friday and Pacific Lutheran University the next night.
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