PORTLAND, Ore. –Lewis & Clark College volleyball kept each set close on Tuesday night, but couldn't exploit Linfield University's weaknesses late, ultimately falling 3-0 in a Northwest Conference match at Pamplin Sports Center.  
 
THE BASICS
 
Linfield 3, Lewis & Clark 0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-20)
(Lewis & Clark 0-11, 0-4 NWC)
(Linfield 4-8, 1-6 NWC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Annika Traxler led the team with seven kills, three service aces and three blocks. The senior added five digs, tying Bethany Ballesteros for the second most on the team.
 
Ballesteros and fellow libero/defensive specialist Kelsie Nakashima shared the opposite-colored jersey tonight against the Wildcats. The seniors combined for eight digs and had four assists each. Ballesteros added two aces in the third set.
 
Seniors Ella Ruark (six kills), Emily Strand (four kills), and sophomore Isabel Meleán-Williams (four kills) were second and third tonight in offensive output. Strand added three blocks, Ruark had three digs and Meleán-Williams had a service ace.
 
Linfield jumped to an early 5-0 lead behind two service aces from Nora Myre and aggressive play at the net, forcing Lewis & Clark into a timeout at 5-12. The Pioneers rallied, with a balanced attack from the top four hitters tying the set at 19-19. Traxler's service ace gave the Pioneers a brief lead at 20-19, but Linfield's Katelyn Mawdsley and Myre responded with crucial kills to secure the set 25-21.
 
The Pioneers took an early lead in the second set, capitalizing on a service error from the Wildcats' Pi'ilani Hirahara but a back-and-forth battle ensued for much of the set. After going down 21-17 late, kills by Meleán-Williams and Strand pulled Lewis & Clark within 23-21 before Linfield closed out the set and took a 2-0 lead into the break.
 
In a tightly contested third set, the Pios jumped to an early lead with kills from Ruark and sophomore Christi San Diego, but the Wildcats quickly responded with a series of attacks and took their first lead of the set at 19-18. Despite a late surge, including a crucial kill from sophomore setter Ruby Kuerschner (14 assists), Linfield secured the set 25-20, sealing the NWC victory.
 
BY THE NUMBERS 

• All three of Kuerschner's kills came in the final set, where she achieved a .750 (3-0-4) hitting percentage.
• Traxler recorded four of her team-high kills in the final set while hitting .308 (4-0-13).
• Junior Reilyn Sabado had four digs and two assists off the bench.

 WHO'S NEXT
 
The Pioneers make their annual trip to eastern Washington this weekend to take on the "Whits." They play Whitman on Friday in Walla Walla at 7 p.m.