WALLA WALLA, Wash. - In an effort to dig itself out of a two-set hole, the Whitman College women's volleyball team played some of its best volleyball of the season, but still came up short in a four-set loss to George Fox in Northwest Conference action on Friday night at the Sherwood Center. Set scores were 25-16, 25-16, 19-25, 25-17.
Bella Vickers approached her career high with a match-best 15 kills and Kenzie Martinez just missed out on a double double with 14 kills and nine digs. Nicole Kelly and Teia Magaoay did the work on defense for the Blues (4-14, 3-8 NWC), posting 13 and 11 digs, respectively.
Taylor Deckoning and Addison Robertson both posted George Fox (13-5, 9-2 NWC)Â team highs with 11 kills. Kassandra Staton recorded a double double with 10 kills and 10 digs, and Piper Harrop chipped in a match-high 23 digs.
The Bruins got off to a hot start in their opening-set win. Olivia Jacobson posted a kill and got in on two blocks to help her team to a 6-1 lead. The offense started working a bit for the Blues as the set wore on as Whitman was able to keep within striking distance after kills from Martinez and Navi Islam-Zwart. Late in the set though, Emily Blagg helped close the door for Fox with a block and a pair of kills.
Set two saw more of the same with the Bruins hot out of the gate and coasting late for the two-set lead. Islam-Zwart cut an early Bruin lead to 8-4 but Addison Robinson recorded three straight kills for Fox to put them up 12-5. The lead steadily increased before Robertson got hot again, drilling a trio of kills late in the set to put Whitman away.
The Blues emerged from the locker room for set three a changed team. Firing on all cylinders, they hit a scorching .433 in the set with only two errors and won to bolt back into the match. Martinez kept the Blues in the set early with three impressive kills and, later, Vickers posted a kill and got in on a block to put the Blues up 14-11. George Fox rallied to go up a point, but the Blues caught fire and reeled off six unanswered points and pulled away for the win.
Set four saw the same revitalized Blues from a set earlier, but unfortunately unable to pull out the win.
Whitman gets back at it on Saturday against Pacific. First serve at the Sherwood Center is set for 6:00 p.m.
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