TACOMA, Wash. – The Linfield Wildcat volleyball team opened league play with a 3-0 loss Friday night at the hands of defending Northwest Conference champion Puget Sound.
 
The Wildcats (4-4, 0-1) had their work cut out for them against the Loggers (8-1, 1-0), who had put together seven straight wins to open the season before dropping their final match before conference play.
 
Araeya Watanabe led the Wildcat effort with 13.5 points. The sophomore put together 10 kills, two service aces and 1.5 blocks.
 
It was her sixth match this season in double-digit scoring and her fifth with at least 10 kills.
 
Puget Sound set the tone early on, jumping out to a 9-1 lead in the opening set, before winning the frame 25-10.
 
Linfield proved more competitive in the second, but the Loggers pulled away late to take the second 25-19 and eventually the third 25-15 to complete the sweep.
 
On the night Linfield finished with 23 kills, only two behind Puget Sound's total, but committed 30 errors through the match compared to the Loggers' eight.
 
The Wildcats out-dug the Loggers 55-54, but Puget Sound racked up 12 blocks at the net and fired nine aces for the match.
 
Freshman Nora Myre finished as the second-leading scorer for Linfield with 6.5 points on five kills while adding 12 digs.
 
Libero Paige Richards led the 'Cats with 16 digs. Setter Claire Johnson dished out 21 assists and added six digs.
 
2022 First team All-NWC honoree Avery Alleman led Puget Sound in scoring with eight points, including three solo blocks. Three other Loggers finished with at least 5.5 points.
 
NEXT
Linfield will stay in Tacoma overnight for a battle with Pacific Lutheran (2-7, 1-0) tomorrow at 7:00 in Olson Gymnasium.
 
Last season, the Wildcats picked up their first win over the Lutes since 2016 in a 3-2 thriller in McMinnville. Read Full Article