WALLA WALLA, Wash. - Looking to extend its win streak, the Whitman College women's volleyball team got off to a hot start but eventually fell in four sets to the University of Puget Sound in Northwest Conference action on Friday night at the Sherwood Center. Set scores were 21-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-19.
Nicole Kelly delivered a match-high 15 kills in the losing effort to go along with 12 digs. Christina Boxberger added nine kills and four aces with Teia Magaoay handing out 41 assists while equaling a match-high of 16 digs.
Sarah Johnsen led the Loggers (10-7, 7-2 NWC) with a team-high 13 kills and Chloe Akiona-Bannan equaled a match-high of 16 digs.
The Blues (6-10, 4-5 NWC) looked sharp out of the gates and hit at a .314 clip in set one. Boxberger broke an early tie with a kill as Whitman won five of the next six points to take an 8-4 lead. Kills by Megan Suka and Kelly helped extend the lead to seven points as the Blues took control of the set. Whitman continued to impress as Boxberger and Kelly kept finding the holes in the Logger defense and maintained a comfortable lead for the Blues. A late UPS run proved to be too little too late and Whitman struck first with the opening-set win.
Whitman carried its momentum into the second set and took an early lead off back-to-back Boxberger aces and a Kelly kill. The Loggers snatched the momentum away for the first time in the match and won 10 of the next 12 points to take a 13-8 lead. Whitman mounted a late rally but UPS shut the door after a pair of kills from Maddie Klopcic and Johnsen.
The next two sets went UPS's way as the Loggers closed out the Blues in four sets. Both sets the Blues fell into early holes and, while battling hard, never fully rallied.
The Blues will look to get back in the win column on Saturday versus Pacific Lutheran. First serve at the Sherwood Center is set for 6:00 p.m.
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