PORTLAND, Ore. - The Lewis & Clark volleyball team took down the Linfield Wildcats on Friday night in the Pamplin Sports Center, 3-1 (25-23, 25-17, 19-25, 25-10), earning their first Northwest Conference win of the season. 

The win moves the Pioneers to 7-5 on the season and 1-2 in conference play. The win also gives the Pioneers their most wins since the 2011 season. The Wildcats fall to 3-5 on the season while suffering their first conference loss of the year, falling to 2-1. 

Kataleya Milan ended the match with a team-high 13 kills, while Brigitte Russo finished one kill behind with 12. Tessa Belanger collected eight kills and Isabel Valentine ended her night with seven. Valentine and Milan led all players with six blocks, while Belanger had five. Emily Drake was busy collecting 29 assists in the win, while Alexe Navarro earned 23 digs. 

Karly Jones finished with a team-high 13 kills for the Wildcats, while Casie Gaza had 18 assists. 

In the first set, Lewis & Clark only trailed once, falling behind 1-0 at the start. A error by the Wildcats tied the contest, before a strong double block by Milan and Valentine earned the Pioneers the lead for good. The Wildcats made things interesting toward the end of the set, pulling within one at 23-24, but Belanger would put an end to any thoughts of a comeback with a set winning kill.

The Pioneers carried their momentum over to the second set, rattling off six unanswered points. A Linfield timeout would allow the Wildcats to get on the board, but much like the opening set the Pioneers would never relinquish the lead. 

Clearly frustrated, the Wildcats came out of the intermission ready to go, taking a 2-1 lead on a Pioneer error and never looking back. Unfazed by the Wildcat third set, the Pioneers came out firing on all cylinders in the fourth set, making quick work of their counterparts. 

The Pioneers return to the court on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. when they host the Puget Sound Loggers.