SALEM, Ore. – Linfield forced Willamette to five sets on Friday night at Cone Field House in Salem. The Wildcats totaled double-digit kills in nearly every set and took second and fourth-set victories. However, the Bearcats seized the momentum in the final set coming out on top 25-23, 22-25, 25-16, 23-25, 15-10.
The Wildcats combined for 50 kills, on a .125 hitting percentage, 79 digs, 47 assists, six serving aces and six blocks.
Katelin Sindelar led the team in kills with 11.
Claire Johnson tallied 35 assists and
Paige Richards led the defense with 28 digs.
Both offenses had solid starts but Olivia Cadien's seven kills in the set guided the Bearcats to a tightly contested opening set win. Linfield grabbed an early lead in the second set and took advantage of nine Willamette errors to tie the set totals at one apiece.
The Bearcats responded in the third set behind a .242 hitting percentage and 11 set kills. The Wildcats' 14 set kills in the fourth set forced the match to a fifth set. Willamette's nine kills in the final frame couldn't be matched by Linfield as the Bearcats closed out a match victory.
The Bearcats (11-7, 6-5) totaled 59 kills, on a .201 hitting percentage, 81 digs, 54 assists and three serving aces.
Cadien finished with a game-high 19 kills with teammates Katey Cramer and Sydney Locke each totaling 14. Emma Porter finished with 46 assists while Shyla Sato tallied 30 digs.
NEXT
The Wildcats (7-11, 3-8) return to the court on Saturday when they face Lewis & Clark in Portland at 6 p.m.
