SALEM, Ore. -
Kenzie Martinez recorded a double double with 14 digs and a match-high 13 kills but it wasn't enough as the Whitman College women's volleyball team closed the weekend with a 25-10, 30-28, 25-22 sweep at Willamette in Northwest Conference action on Saturday night.
Teia Magaoay and Jackie Zapanta led the Blues (4-13, 3-7 NWC) with 28 assists and 15 digs, respectively and Olivia Cadien paced the Bearcats with team highs of 11 kills, five aces and three blocks while also chipping in 12 digs. Shyla Sato recorded a match-high 24 digs for Willamette (10-7, 5-5 NWC).Â
The opening set was one to forget for the Blues but, to their credit, came out swinging and nearly pulled out a marathon set two win. Whitman held an early 10-5 lead after back-to-back aces from Nicole Kelly spotlighted a 5-0 run. The Blues continued to lead and, after kills from Kelly and Bella Vickers, held a 20-12 lead and looked poised to even the match.
The Bearcats turned the tide in an instant, unleashing a 10-1 run to take a late one-point lead. Cadien and Kaitlyn Westby added back-to-back kills late in the run to put Willamette up 22-21. The Blues regrouped and held set point after a pair of kills from Martinez and another from Kelly. The matches headed to extra points where each team had three set points and the Bearcats cashed in on their third to take a commanding two-set lead.
Whitman battled to stay alive in set three, even erasing a four-point deficit with a 6-2 run to tie the game at 17-17. Willamette responded with a run of its own and coasted to the win and sweep.
The Blues return home next weekend for Northwest Conference matches against George Fox and Pacific.
Â
#GoWhitman
