BOX SCORE

WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The Lewis & Clark volleyball team opened its tour of Washington with a 3-1 loss to the Whitman Missionaries in a Northwest Conference match-up on Friday night.

The Missionaries earned a 25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 12-25 win to improve to 4-12 on the season and 1-6 in conference play. The Pioneers are now 7-10 on the season and 3-4 in the NWC.

Margaret Dowling pounded out a team-leading 12 kills, while Jenn Dowdy contributed nine to the Pioneer offense. Dowling added 11 digs while Lou Ohki led the team with 17. Leia Matsunaga and Kelsie Dorpat both saw time as the team's setter, with Matsunaga earning 20 assists and Dorpat being credited with 11. Senior Katherine Fiedler led the squad at the net coming up with two block solos and two block assists.

Jillian Davis finished the night with a match-high 20 kills, while Rachel Cline added a match-high 37 assists.

In the first set the Pioneers earned the early lead but were unable to pull too far ahead of the Missionaries. Whitman took the lead for good on a Rachel Shober kill, cruising to a 25-18 win.

The Missionaries carried their momentum over into the second set, running up a 9-4 advantage. Whitman continued to control the set until an ace by freshman Gabby Hands tied things at 20-20. Lewis & Clark took the lead for the first time in the set on the next play with a strong put down by Fiedler. The two sides traded points the rest of the way through the set before back-to-back kills by Dowling evened the match at 1-1.

The third set began as a battle with both teams fighting for the upper hand. The Pioneers gained a 12-9 edge with the help of three consecutive errors by the Missionaries. The Missionaries turned the tables moments later and mounted a comeback that saw them pick up the victory.

In the fourth set, the Missionaries used their momentum to build an early lead and keep the Pioneers at bay.

The Pioneers continue their road trip on Saturday, Oct. 9 with a NWC battle against the Whitworth Pirates.