The Pioneer volleyball team opened their Northwest Conference schedule with a 25-20, 25-15, 25-22 sweep of the Whitman Missionaries Friday night in Walla Walla. Margaret Dowling had 11 kills for the Pioneers.

In the first set, the Pioneers and Missionaries were tied 17-17 when a Whitman error gave the Pioneers the side out and the lead. Margaret Dowling (freshman, Burlingame, Calif.) landed back-to-back kills to put the Pioneers out front 20-17. Dowling sealed the victory for the Pioneers with a pair of service aces down the stretch to give the Pioneers the 25-20 victory.

In the second set, the Pioneers jumped out to a quick 6-1 lead. The Pioneers took advantage of double-digit Whitman errors while landing 14 kills with just four attack errors of their own (.345 attack percentage) to cruise to a 25-15 victory.

The third set was much tighter, with the Pioneers breaking a 20-20 tie with a block by Katherine Fiedler (sophomore, San Diego, Calif.) and Danielle Johnson (senior, Anchorage, Alaska). Fiedler followed with a kill to put the Pioneers up 22-20. Whitman pulled within one late, 23-22, but Danielle Johnson landed a kill for the Pioneers forcing match point. A kill by Margaret Dowling gave the Pioneers the 25-23 victory and the three-set sweep of the Missionaries.

Margaret Dowling had 11 kills to lead the Pioneers. She had just two attack errors to hit .450 in the match. She also landed four aces and had six defensive digs for the Pioneers. Katherine Fielder had seven kills in 13 attacks, hitting .385. She had four blocks (two solo, two assisted). Jessamy Holland (junior, Honolulu, Hawaii) had seven kills, two aces, and four digs.

The Pioneers draw even at 6-6 for the season and are 1-0 in Conference play. Whitman remains winless with an 0-10 record.

The Pioneers will finish their trip to Washington on Saturday evening with a 5pm match in Spokane against the Whitworth Pirates. Check back for post-match stats and recaps.