TACOMA, Wash. – Lewis & Clark College volleyball dropped a straight-set match to second-place University of Puget Sound in Northwest Conference play Saturday night.
THE BASICS
Puget Sound 3, Lewis & Clark 0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-13)
(Lewis & Clark 0-18, 0-11 NWC)
(Puget Sound 13-6, 10-2 NWC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Seniors
Annika Traxler and
Emily Strand led the Pioneers with seven kills each against the Loggers, while fellow senior
Ella Ruark added six.
Sophomore
HB Schuett tied their career high with two solo blocks and recorded a season-high two kills.
Senior libero
Kelsie Nakashima led all players with 16 digs, while Traxler and first-year
Ainsley Mochrie added nine digs each.
Puget Sound jumped to a 15-6 lead in the first set before Lewis & Clark went on a 13-3 run to take the lead. Traxler served four of her match-high five aces during the run, including back-to-back aces that gave the Pioneers a 19-18 lead. A Ruark kill stopped a three-point run by the Loggers to pull within 22-20 late. Strand then saved a set point to make it 24-22 before Erin Fagan's kill gave Puget Sound the first-set win.
The second set saw the Loggers build an early 7-2 advantage before the Pioneers responded. Lewis & Clark fought back to within 12-8 behind kills by Ruark and Traxler. Puget Sound pulled away with multiple mini-runs to go up 23-15. Sophomore
Christi San Diego recorded a kill and consecutive aces to pull the Pioneers within 23-18, but the Loggers scored the final two points to take a 2-0 match lead.
The Loggers jumped to a quick 9-2 lead in the final frame. The Pioneers continued to battle, as six players recorded kills, but Puget Sound's offense proved too much as they closed out the match with a 25-13 set victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Nakashima recorded 10 of her 16 digs in the first set.
- Sophomore Ruby Kuerschner finished with 21 assists, five digs, and three kills
- The Pioneers served up eight total aces, compared to six from the Loggers.
WHO'S NEXT
The Pioneers travel to Linfield for a mid-week matchup on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.