MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – In the first match of the second go-around of the Northwest Conference schedule, the Linfield Wildcats fell to the Willamette Bearcats 3-0, on Wednesday night.
 
The Bearcats jump to fifth in the NWC standings following the win with a conference record of 4-5, they were seventh coming into Wednesday. The Wildcats fall to last place in the NWC for the time being at 1-8, having played one more match than the Whitman Blues.
 
Willamette won the first matchup this season 3-0 in Salem, Oregon, and it jumped to a 13-6 error on two straight errors by Linfield.
 
Pulling to within 20-14 on an assisted block by Lori Cimmiyotti and Regan Dean, the Wildcats lost the last five points of the set to lose the first, 25-14.
 
The second set was a similar story for the Bearcats, who led 5-1, but a kill by Raelynn Hammock started a 4-1 run that kept the Wildcats in the set.
 
Coming out of a timeout by Willamette at 21-19, Linfield tied the set at 21 and fought off the first set point at 24-23 on a kill by Kara Thomas.
 
The Bearcats closed out the second set with the two straight kills with the match tied at 24 to jump out 2-0 with a 26-24 set win.
 
Slow starts at the start of the sets was what did in the Wildcats, who were down 5-2 in the third.
 
A service ace by Dean pulled Linfield within 13-10, but Willamette was able to close out the third on a 3-0 run, winning the set, 25-17.
 
The Bearcats landed 23 percent of their attacks compared to just seven percent for the Wildcats, who had negative three percent in the final set.
 
Dean led the way in kills and digs for the Wildcats, she had 9 kills and 21 digs.
 
Primary setter Aylea Dixon had 24 assists and 2 aces on Wednesday night and libero Maya Nakasone had 18 digs.
 
The trio of Thomas, Cimmiyotti, and Hannah Waterman had an assisted block each on Wednesday night, Waterman also had a solo block.
 
Linfield has lost its last four and 10 of its last 11.
 
UP NEXT
The Linfield Wildcats head to Newberg, Oregon, to face the George Fox on Saturday at 6 p.m.