SPOKANE, Wash. – With their backs against the wall, the Linfield Wildcats came back from a 2-0 deficit to make the first-place Whitworth Pirates walk the plank in a five-set reverse sweep of the defending Northwest Conference champions Saturday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.
The win comes just moments after the Linfield football team beat Whitworth 35-17 at the Pine Bowl. Whitworth took the first two sets by scores of 25-20 and 25-22. Linfield rallied to stay alive, taking the third set 25-20 before stunning the Pirates 26-24 in set No. 4.
The Wildcats got off to a 10-4 start in the final set. But the Pirates went on a 10-4 run of their own to tie it at 14-all. A kill by
Marina Erosa and a service ace by
Paige Richards sealed the program's first win over the Pirates since 2017 and the first win in Spokane since 2009.
The 'Cats held the advantage in kills (63-59), assists (60-55) and digs (74-70). They matched the Pirates with 81 points and 10 aces. The team's .213 hitting percentage marks the fourth time this season that the 'Cats hit .200 or better. The 'Cats are 4-0 when hitting above .200.
Four Linfield players registered double digit kills. Erosa and
Raelynn Hammock finished tied for the match high with the Pirates' Jaye Hodge with 15 kills apiece. Erosa racked up 11 digs while Hammock had 10.
Kara Thomas went off for a career-high 14 kills on a .344 hitting percentage while
Ellie Mead added 10 kills and three blocks. Richards had four aces to go with 19 digs.
Aylea Dixon dished out 38 assists. It's the seventh time this season that she's finished with 35 or more assists.
Hodge added 15 digs to her 15 kills. Ella Jimenez contributed 14 kills while Cassidy Franklin hit .421 to tack on another 10 kills. Eva Millan's 23 digs led all players.
The win snapped a four-match losing streak for the 'Cats, who improved to 7-8 overall and 3-5 in NWC play. Although an undefeated 16-0 in NWC play a season ago, the Pirates are tied with Puget Sound for first place with a 6-2 conference mark (12-4 overall).
NEXT
The 'Cats will stay in Oregon next week, playing at Willamette on Friday and at Lewis & Clark on Saturday.
