Portland, Ore. – Multiple Pioneer volleyball players posted career highs in a five-set loss to visiting Linfield University.
THE BASICS
Linfield 3, Lewis & Clark 2 (21-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-22, 15-10)
(Lewis & Clark 1-14, NWC 0-10)
(Linfield 8-9, NWC 4-6)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Lewis & Clark College snapped a 23-set losing streak to start the match against Linfield University. The first set between the Northwest Conference rivals was pretty even. Freshman
Ellie Weber hit her third of a career-high 20 kills to start a 5-1 Pio run. Weber served an ace on set point to end the streak with a 25-21 win.
The Pioneers chipped away at a Wildcat 13-7 lead to tie the second set at 16. There would be two more tie scores before Linfield evened the match at a set, each heading into the break.
The third set saw ten tie scores and five lead changes as both teams fought to take a 2-1 lead and control the set. Sophomore
Annika Traxler's sixth kill of the match gave the Pios a final push in the set and a 24-23 lead. The third-set win was the first time in conference play that Lewis & Clark won multiple sets in a match.
Like the rest of the match, the fourth set was a battle until the end. With the score tied at 19, Weber hit another kill. The next point ended on a block by sophomore
Emily Strand and senior
Emma Ehlers. A service ace by Weber gave the Pioneers a 22-19 lead. The Wildcats utilized a 6-0 run to send the match to a deciding set.
Lewis and Clark won the right to serve in the fifth, but Linfield went on a 6-1 run to take control. A Traxler kill off a Wildcat overpass pulled the Pios within one at 7-6. The match ended with Linfield winning 15-10 in the fifth.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Weber is the first Pio to hit 20 kills this season and notched double-digit kills for the fourth time in her career. She nearly doubled her previous career-high in kills (11).
- Sophomores Debi Chun and Strand added 13 and 10 kills, respectively, making it the first match this season that three Pios ended with double-digit kills.
- Senior Ashley Kane had a career-high in assists for the second match in a row, finishing with 45.
- The Pioneers had season highs in team kills (58), attempts (201), assists (54), and digs (95).
WHO'S NEXT
The Pios start a five-game road trip, when they travel to Forest Grove to take on Pacific on at 7 pm.