SALEM, Ore. – Lewis & Clark College volleyball played their fifth volleyball match in five days, dropping a four-setter on the road to Willamette University in their Northwest Conference Opener on Tuesday night.
THE BASICS
Willamette 3, Lewis & Clark 1 (25-17, 21-25, 25-12, 25-11)
(Lewis & Clark 0-8, 0-1 NWC)
(Willamette 2-7, 1-0 NWC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Seniors
Annika Traxler and
Emily Strand led the Pioneers offensively with 12 and eight kills, respectively. Strand added three blocks, one solo, and two block assists with fellow senior
Ella Ruark (five kills).
Setter
Ruby Kuerschner led four Pioneers in double-digits with 15 digs, tying her career high. The sophomore added 17 assists, two kills and two service aces.
Junior
Reilyn Sabado was second on the team with a career-high 14 digs. First-year
Ainsley Mochrie (13 digs) and senior
Bethany Ballesteros (11 digs) were third and fourth on the team.
After being down 19-10 in the first set, Strand sparked a 7-2 run in which she knocked down five kills and had a solo block—the senior hit .625 (5-0-8) in the set to lead the Pioneers. The Bearcats ended the set by scoring four straight points.
Lewis & Clark jumped out to an early 6-2 lead in the second set and maintained a four-point advantage early on. Willamette was never able to take the lead but did tie the set twice at 11- and 12-all. The Pios went on a 4-0 run to go up 16-12 and were the first team to 20 with a five-point lead. Traxler's sixth kill of the set gave the Pioneers a 21-17 advantage. The Bearcats fought back again to pull within 22-21, but a Kuerschner kill started a 3-0 run that ended the set and tied the match at 1-1.
Traxler gave the Pioneers an early 3-2 lead, and Ruark tied the score at four, both on kills, but it was all the Bearcats in the third set. They went on an 11-2 run to take a 15-6 advantage. Kuerschner had back-to-back aces during a 4-0 Lewis & Clark run that pulled them within 15-10. It wasn't enough as Willamette closed out the set on a 10-2 run to take a two sets to one lead.
The Bearcats took control early in the fourth set, going up 8-0. A kill by Ruark ended the initial run, but Willamette extended its advantage to 15-4. A kill by sophomore
Isabel Meleán-Williams and two aces by sophomore
Kenzie Edwards pulled Lewis & Clark within 21-9.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Kuerschner recorded her 10th double-double with 17 assists and 15 digs.
- Meleán-Williams and Ruark tied for third on the team with five kills each.
- Edwards finished with four assists and two aces.
WHO'S NEXT
Lewis & Clark has ten days off before they host the University of Puget Sound next Friday at 7 p.m. in their first home contest at Pamplin Gymnasium this season.
