McMINNVILLE, Ore. – The Linfield volleyball team got off to a hot start in the opening set, but Willamette clawed back to top the Wildcats in four sets Wednesday night at Ted Wilson Gymnasium.
 
The Wildcats closed the first set with a 10-0 run to win 25-15, but the Bearcats took control after that, winning the next three sets by scores of 25-22, 25-21 and 25-21.
 
In the second set, the Wildcats went on a 5-0 run to tie it at 18-18, but the Bearcats responded with a 4-0 run of their own. The set eventually ended on a Linfield service error. The Wildcats were down the entire third set but rallied back to tie it at 15-15, but the Bearcats secured the set with a 10-7 run to end it. Willamette got off to an early 8-2 lead in the fourth set. Linfield started another 5-0 rally to cut the Bearcats' lead to 23-21, but it wasn't enough as Willamette claimed the set and the match.
 
Junior outside hitter Raelynn Hammock finished with double digit kills for the sixth straight match. She had a match-high 15 kills with a .192 hitting percentage to go with 20 digs. Hammock ranks third in the Northwest Conference with 3.36 kills per set.
 
Senior outside hitter Regan Dean finished with eight kills and five digs while junior middle blocker Seraiah Ochse had six kills and a .200 hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Mia Naccarato settled in well in her sixth appearance of the season, finishing with 29 assists and 10 digs. Junior libero Maya Nakasone has been solid defensively since returning to the starting lineup. She finished with a match-high 22 digs.
 
The Bearcats were led by freshman Olivia Cadien and junior Dani Queja, who finished with 14 kills apiece. Cadien also had four assists while Queja had 16 digs. Junior Emma Porter had a match-high 33 assists with 19 digs.
 
NEXT
Linfield fell to 4-10 overall with a 0-9 Northwest Conference mark. The Wildcats will have to wait for Saturday to pick up their first win in NWC play as they host Puget Sound at 6 p.m.