The Pioneer volleyball team fell 25-22, 25-14, 25-17
to the Linfield Wildcats Friday night in McMinnville. Sarah Hall
had six kills to lead the Pioneers. Jessamy Holland had 15 digs.
In the first set, the Pioneers fell behind 10-1 early on. Still
trailing late, behind 20-12, the Pioneers mounted a comeback. A
kill by Kelsey Clark (senior, Eagle Creek, Ore.) gave the Pioneers
a sideout, putting Kelsey Neussl (senior, Juneau, Alaska) on serve.
Kills by Katherine Fiedler (sophomore, San Diego, Calif.) and
Margaret Dowling (freshman, Burlingame, Calif.) put the Pioneers
down five. After a Linfield attack error, the Pioneers were
trailing 20-16. A kill by Sarah Hall (junior, Vancouver, Wash.)
followed by another Fiedler kill and an ace by Kelsey Neussl
suddenly had the Linfield lead to one. The set tied 20-20 on a ball
handling error by Linfield. Linfield finally ended an 8-0 Pioneer
run, getting a kill and a side-out, taking a 21-20 lead. Trailing
22-20, the Pioneers got a kill from Dowling and an ace from Hall to
tie the set 22-22. Linfield got two huge hits from the outside and
middle hitter along with a Pioneer ball handling error to take the
set 25-22.
Sets two was dominated by the Wildcats with the home team
cruising to a 25-14 victory. In the third set, the Pioneers erased
an early 7-3 lead by the Wildcats, with a block by Katherine
Fiedler and Jessamy Holland (junior, Honolulu, Hawaii) pulling the
Pioneers within a point, 9-8. The Pioneers tied the set and then
went up by two, 11-9, by taking advantage of Linfield attack errors
and another Fiedler/Holland block. Linfield got a sideout, tying
the match, and then taking advantage of Pioneer ball handling and
reception errors to take a 15-11 lead. The Pioneers never really
challenged again, with Linfield holding on for a 25-17 victory and
the 3-0 sweep.
Sarah Hall and Margaret Dowling each had six kills with Dowling
also getting 15 digs. Jessamy Holland equalled her defensive output
with 15 kills of her own. Melody Kayser (senior, Eugene, Ore.) had
12 kills.
Listen to an
audio replay of the action (download the .wma file and then
play it on the Windows media player on your computer)
The Pioneers are back home Saturday night, September 27, hosting
the Pacific Lutheran Lutes at the Pamplin Sports Center. The match
begins at 7pm.
