SPOKANE, Wash.. — Taking on one of the top teams in the Northwest Conference, the Linfield Wildcats lost 16-25, 20-25, 18-25 to the Whitworth Pirates Saturday at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.
Despite a superb effort from
Taylor Petersen that included 13 kills and a .684 hitting percentage, the Wildcats were unable to secure a single set against the Pirates.
Falling behind in the first set, the Wildcats were unable to find their groove. In the second and third sets, Whitworth easily pulled away to help solidify their spot atop the Northwest Conference standings.
A look at the stats
The Wildcats' defensive efforts were led by the 12 digs of
Kayla Magbaleta and six digs from Destiny Grace.
Darian Stedman recorded nine digs and four kills, while
Brianna Sanford drove home eight kills. Grace spread around 19 assists while fellow setter
Mattie Kelly contributed 14.
Emiko Kahler led the Pirates with nine kills, 13 digs and an impressive .533 hitting percentage. Lauren Budde aided the Pirates with 13 kills, while hitting .619 at the net. The Pirates outhit the 'Cats .402 to .223, and recorded nine more kills and 13 additional digs than the Wildcats.
Where they sit
Since beginning the season with eight wins in their first nine matches, the Wildcats have struggled to find the rhythm they enjoyed in the early season, dropping their sixth consecutive contest.
The Wildcats fell to 8-7 overall and 2-6 in the NWC. The Pirates rose to 10-6, including 7-1 against NWC opponents.
Coming up
The Wildcats remain on the road to take on Willamette on Friday at Cone Field House. The match is set to begin at 7:00 p.m.
