TACOMA, Wash.  Whitman's volleyball team rallied from the brink of defeat with six consecutive points to close out Saturday evening's 3-2 Northwest Conference victory at the University of Puget Sound, stunning a Memorial Fieldhouse crowd that was preparing to celebrate with their Loggers ahead 13-9 in the deciding fifth set.

The rally began with a kill from Miranda Taylor and ended, fittingly, with Shae Kanakaole's personal best 22nd kill, enabling Whitman to even its conference record to 7-7 and inching its overall record, 10-12, closer to the .500 mark while sweeping the season series against the Loggers (14-8, 9-5 NWC).

The come-from-behind victory capped a back-and-forth night that saw Whitman capture the odd-numbered sets -- 25-19, 22-25, 25-19, 15-25, 15-13.

The fifth set not only included a dramatic finish, but also one of the night's only meaningful lead changes.

In each of the preceding sets, almost regardless of how narrow leads would be, it seemed as if it was only due process to reach the winning point. Neither team broke free of the other in the sets it won, but neither team really threatened to overtake the other before that 25th point.

That fifth set, though...

Whitman broke in front 2-0 but Puget Sound stormed back with five unanswered points, only to see Whitman battle back to a 9-9 deadlock.

Twice in a four-point Loggers string Whitman head coach Matt Helm needed to call a timeout. That second one, with his team behind 13-9, must have been a heckuva timeout, though.

Taylor's kill followed the break and another point came via a Loggers attacking error. A Megan Henry kill and another UPS attacking error drew Whitman to within one, at 13-12, and caused the Loggers to call timeout.

Kanakaole added her 21st kill to tie the score and yet another attack error by the Loggers pushed Whitman in front and forced another UPS timeout.

The break didn't help as Kanakaole pounded down a feed from Anna Dawson to complete the improbable comeback and lift Whitman to the victory.

Kanakaole's 22 kills topped all players in the match, but she got help at the net from Katie Sisson (12 kills) and Natalia Zea (10).

Aiding Whitman's efforts was a tremendous effort on the floor defensively as it piled up a 104-81 advantage in digs over the Loggers, led by Codie Conching's 27.

The victory provides momentum for Whitman as it heads home for the final two matches of its season, beginning with Wednesday's rivalry bout with league leader Whitworth University.