CLAREMONT, Calif.—Lewis & Clark College volleyball were dealt a pair of setbacks on Day 2 of the Pacific Coast Classic. 
 
THE BASICS
Nebraska Wesleyan 3, Lewis & Clark 0
Occidental College 3, Lewis & Clark 0 
(Lewis & Clark 2-2) 
(Nebraska Wesleyan 3-1) 
(Occidental 2-1) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Senior Izzy Willis recorded double-digit kills in her third and fourth-straight matches to open the season and junior Annika Traxler recorded a career-high 13 kills against Occidental to highlight Day 2 for the Pioneers. 
 
MATCH ONE RECAP: Nebraska Wesleyan 3, Lewis & Clark 0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-17) 
 
Nebraska Wesleyan hit a robust .422 to hand Lewis & Clark their first loss of the 2023 season. 
 
Willis was the lone Pioneer with double-figure kills. The senior recorded 10 kills and added four digs. 
 
Sophomore Emily Strand and Christi San Diego (career-high) each finished with five kills to finish second on the team. 
 
Freshman Ruby Kuerschner chipped in 20 assists, a team-high three aces and five digs. Senior Katie Shimaura and Strand tied for the team lead with seven digs apiece. 
 
The Pioneers jumped out to an early lead in all three sets but the Prairie Wolves went on a sustained run in all three sets to grab control and never let Lewis & Clark back in the set. 
 
MATCH TWO RECAP: Occidental 3, Lewis & Clark 3 (25-18, 25-21, 25-21) 
 
Traxler recorded a career-high 13 kills and Kuerschner posted 20+ assists for the second-straight match but it wasn't enough to knock off the Tigers. 
 
For the second time in four matches, Traxler posted a career-high in kills. She notched a match high 13 kills and just missed a double-double with nine digs. 
 
Willis finished off a strong all-around first weekend with 12 kills, 11 digs and a solo block. 
 
Strand chipped in six kills and fellow sophomore Piper McCoy Harmon was fourth on the team with two kills on six swings. 

Kuerschner added 21 assists and seven digs and Shimaura led the team with 18 digs (match-high) and six digs. 
 
Saturday's nightcap saw the Pioneers battle back in all three sets to close the deficit and they nearly took the lead late in the first and third sets. 
 
After going down 14-6 in the third set, Lewis & Clark responded with a big run to get within one. The Pioneers cut the deficit to 16-12 and then won four-straight points on a Kuerschner service run to close the score to 17-16. Occidental answered by winning six-straight points to grab a 23-16 lead and went on to win the set 25-18. 
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Willis closes out the opening weekend with 56 kills for an average of 4.00 per set. She matched her previous career-high by posting double-digit kills in four-straight matches. With her final kill of the weekend, Willis reached 500 kills for her career. 
• Shimaura, who led the Pioneers with 22 aces last season, nearly matched that mark this weekend. The senior libero posted a single-match program record 11 in Friday's opener and closed out the weekend with 18 aces. 
• Kuerschner wrapped up the weekend with 86 assists (6.14 per set), 27 digs (third on the team) and nine aces (third). 
• The Pioneers matched up with Nebraska Wesleyan for the first time in program history. Their match against Occidental marked the first meeting between the two programs since 2011. 

WHO'S NEXT 
 
The Pioneers will return home to host two non-conference matches on Friday as part of the Oregon Trail Classic. Lewis & Clark will host West Coast Baptist College (4:30 p.m.) and Schreiner University (7 p.m.).