PORTLAND, Ore. – A balanced offensive attack helped Lewis & Clark College volleyball take control early in the third set and earn the win, but it was George Fox University that left Pamplin Sports Center with a four-set Northwest Conference win.
THE BASICS
George Fox 3, Lewis & Clark 1 (25-15, 25-14, 19-25, 25-12)
(Lewis & Clark 5-9, 0-6 NWC)
(George Fox 9-4, 5-1 NWC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Pioneers came out of the extended break after the second set down 2-0, but not defeated. Lewis & Clark went up 5-4 on a George Fox service error, and extended their lead on junior
Emily Strand's second kill of the match. The Pios forced a Bruin timeout at 12-8, then took their largest lead of the match at 18-12, following a Bruin attack error, a service ace by senior
Katie Shimaura, and another kill by Strand.
Strand recorded four of her season-high seven kills in the set. A kill by freshman
Isabel Melean-Williams and a setter dump by
Ruby Kuerschner secured the 25-19 win. The Pioneers out hit the Bruins .186 to .054 in the set.
Melean-Williams finished the night with a career-high eight kills and tied with junior
Annika Traxler to lead the team on offense.
Senior
Izzy Willis added seven kills on the night to finish second on the team with Strand.
Freshman middle blocker
Christi San Diego tied her career-best with five kills, knocking down three in the first set.
Shimaura led the defense with 18 digs and moved into eighth in program history with her 870 career digs.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Strand recorded two solo blocks in a match for the first time in her career. She now leads the team with 26 total blocks this season.
- Kuerschner dished over 30 assists (31) for the second time in her career and the first time since the season's opening match.
- Traxler finished second on the team with 11 digs.
- The Pioneers hit above .100 (.115) for the second time in conference play, breaking a four-game skid of hitting sub .100.
WHO'S NEXT
Lewis & Clark heads to the opposite end of the Portland metro area to take on Pacific University in Forest Grove on Friday at 7 p.m.