PORTLAND, Ore. — Lewis & Clark College volleyball showed flashes of strong play on Friday night, but visiting Whitworth University proved why it sits atop the Northwest Conference standings and continues to receive votes in the national coaches' polls. The Pirates swept the Pioneers 25-17, 25-15, 25-16 at Pamplin Sports Center.
THE BASICS
Whitworth 3, Lewis & Clark 0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-16)
Lewis & Clark (0-12, 0-5 NWC)
Whitworth (11-4, 5-0 NWC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Junior
Kaitlyn Jensen paced the Pioneers with a match-high 10 kills, hitting .207 (10-4-29). She added five digs, a block and a service ace, carrying much of the offense against Whitworth's strong front line.
Setter
Ruby Kuerschner handed out 16 of the team's 22 assists and added four digs.
HB Schuett (five),
Isabel Meleán-Williams (four) and
Christi San Diego (three) all contributed multiple kills, with San Diego leading the defensive effort at the net with four blocks. Schuett added a team-high three aces, while Meleán-Williams chipped in two.
First-year libero
Ariah Potts led the defense with eight digs.
Lewis & Clark came out with energy in the opening set, tying the score at 4-4 behind a three-point serving run from Schuett that featured three consecutive aces. San Diego teamed up with senior
Abigail Warrick, then Jensen, for a pair of blocks to put the Pios ahead 7-6. But Whitworth responded with a decisive 10-2 run, fueled by outside hitter Alyssa Baird (eight kills, two aces), to take control and close out the set 25-17.
Jensen took over early in the second frame, slamming five kills, as the Pioneers tied the score five times. The Pirates eventually pulled away with an eight-point surge, winning 25-15.
The Pioneers briefly grabbed momentum in the third, as Jensen and Meleán-Williams helped Lewis & Clark build its largest lead of the night at 9-5. But Whitworth answered again, closing the match on a 10-3 run led by Lauren Kremer (nine kills, .600 hitting percentage) to secure the sweep.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Warrick finished with two blocks and a kill.
- The Pioneers and the Pirates finished with nine total kills each, but Whitworth had the edge on team blocks, 6-5, with three solo blocks, compared to one for Lewis & Clark.
- Junior Kenzie Edwards had four assists and four digs in the match.
WHO'S NEXT
Lewis & Clark closes out its homestand on Saturday night against Whitman College at 6 p.m. at Pamplin Sports Center.
