WALLA WALLA, Wash. - The Whitman College women's volleyball team was unable to replicate the performance from one night earlier, falling to Lewis & Clark in straight sets on Saturday night at the Sherwood Center. Set scores were 25-23, 25-23, 25-17.
The match was also Senior Night for Brooke Valentine, Christina Boxberger, Megan Suka, Sydney London and Sophia Dominitz who were honored with a special ceremony prior to first serve.
A handful of Blues (8-13, 6-8 NWC) chipped in on attack led by Christina Boxberger and Kenzie Martinez who both had six kills. Brooke Valentine and Teia Magaoay added 13 and 11 digs, respectively.
The Blues got behind the 8-ball early in the opening set as the Pios (2-17, 1-13 NWC) won six of the first seven points. Izzy Willis drilled back-to-back kills to give her team the early 6-1 lead. Debi Chun then got in on the action for L&C with her two kills helping extend the lead to 12-5. Whitman finally got things going and delivered an 8-1 run as Quinn Pulver hit three straight service aces and the Blues took a 22-20 lead. The Pios would halt the momentum however, regaining the lead and eventually closing out the set.
Set two was equally as tight and also did not go Whitman's way as Lewis & Clark took a two-set lead. The Blues led early this time but the Pios used a 7-2 run to go up 10-7. Whitman was able to tie the score with the help of a Martinez ace and a Megan Suka kill, but the Pios again delivered another run to take a four-point lead. Whitman had a late run of its own however as back-to-back kills from Martinez tied the score at 19-19. Boxberger then gave her team a two-point lead after a block and a kill, but as in set one, Lewis & Clark squashed the momentum and rallied for the win.
The Blues returned from the locker room but were unable to reverse the tide as the Pioneers grabbed an early lead and won the most decisive set of the match.
The Blues hit the road for their final two matches of the season, first at Linfield on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7:00 p.m.
