NEWBERG and McMINNVILLE, Ore. – With timely hitting and crisp serving, the Linfield Wildcats prevailed on all three of their season-opening matches over the weekend at the Oregon Trail Classic.
 
Friday, the Wildcats downed Olivet (Ill.) in four sets in a match played at Wheeler Sports Center on the campus of George Fox University.
 
Back home at Ted Wilson Gym on Saturday, the 'Cats swept by Schreiner (Texas) 3-0 before edging Montana Western in five sets in the tournament nightcap.
 
For the weekend, Linfield outhit its opposition .199 to .099 and registered 35 service aces to their opponents' 20.
 
Linfield def. Olivet 25-23, 25-21, 23-25, 25-12
Taylor Petersen pounded 14 kills and Tiana Reynolds added 10 more. The Wildcats rolled up 16 aces, including seven by Darian Stedman and five from Audrey Hyem.
 
Peterson had a hand in 10 blocks while Keoho had six. Linfield was breaking in a pair of freshman setters in the match. Destyni Grace distributed 26 assists and Mattie Kelly added 14 for the 'Cats, who hit a scorching .565 in the clinching fourth set.
 
Linfield def. Schreiner 25-7, 25-17, 25-21
Scoring the match's first five points, the Wildcats put the Mountaineers on their heels from the get-go while hitting .524 in a dominating first frame.
 
Keoho (10), Peterson (8) and Reynolds (5) were Linfield's leaders in kills, respectively. Grace had four aces to go with 14 assists. McKenna Musser
 
Kayla Magbaleta scooped up 16 digs, Peterson had seven saves and Regan Dean contributed six.
 
Linfield more than doubled Schreiner's kills total, 40-18 and were again the better serving team, picking up 11 aces to the Mountaineers' five.
 
Linfield def. Montana Western 17-25, 25-17, 25-16, 15-25, 15-11
 
Keoho and Petersen combined for the match-clinching block in the fifth set, and Linfield outpointed Montana Western 5-2 down the stretch to remain perfect for the season.
 
Keoho led the way with 15 kills, Stedman had 14 and Dean chipped in with seven. Newcomer Brianna Sanford had a hand in four blocks while Stedman totaled three rejections and Keoho had two.
 
Magbaleta (29) and Stedman (22) combined for 51 digs while Grace passed out 28 assists while adding a couple of aces.
 
Stat Check
Six players accumulated double-digit kill totals through the season's first three contests. Leading the way statistically are Keoho (30 kills), Petersen (25), and Stedman (20). Also producing with regularity are Reynolds (17), Hyem (16) and Regan (12).
 
Grace is off to a good start, averaging 6.17 assists per set. Kelly is passing at a rate of 3.27 assists per frame.
 
Petersen is the club's top blocker through three matches, totaling 13.0. Magbaleta has a team-leading 51 digs. Stedman is the top server with nine aces.
 
Next
The Wildcats face another busy weekend ahead with four matches on the docket at the Macalester Invitational in St. Paul, Minn. On Friday, Linfield meets Knox and St. Catherine in back-to-back contests. Saturday, the 'Cats square off with tournament host Macalester as well as Wisconsin-River Falls.