MCMINNVILLE, Ore. --- Linfield volleyball (7-7, 5-4 NWC) captured their third-consecutive win on Tuesday night in Ted Wilson Gymnasium, overcoming a one-set deficit to take down the Pacific Boxers (4-10, 1-8 NWC) in four sets.
After
Tatum Montiel's kill opened the scoring for the Wildcats, the Boxers went on a 6-0 run to take an early lead and force Linfield head coach
Jenna Street to take a timeout. The 'Cats were able to claw back into the set, knotting the match at 13-13 shortly after an ace from junior libero
Kaylea Rietdyk. A 4-0 Pacific run was quickly answered by a 6-1 run to give the 'Cats a 20-19 lead; their first since the match-opening kill.
Both squads traded blows coming down the stretch, with Pacific grabbing two-consecutive points following a 23-23 draw to claim the first set. The Boxers kept
Nora Myre to just one kill in the first set, while
Tatum Montiel led the way with five.
Following a 4-4 tie, Linfield pulled ahead with a 5-0 run, forcing a Boxers timeout. The momentum rolling along for the Wildcats, As Rietdyk, Myre, and Millard would give Linfield a comfortable 19-10 lead in set two. Millard hammered home the final three points for the 'Cats, taking the second, 25-14.
Linfield wasted no time getting back to work in the third, climbing out to a 7-2 lead thanks to kills by
Dani Pomele. Mistakes by the Boxers kept the Wildcats leading the charge throughout, taking an 18-10 lead. Linfield cruised through the third with a 25-16 victory.
Pacific hung around early in the fourth, tying the match three times early, before Linfield could capture a small lead at 13-10. The lead continued to grow behind consecutive swings from Myre, earning a 20-13 cushion late in the set. The Boxers didn't go down without a fight, cutting the deficit to just two behind an 10-4 run late, making it 24-23 'Cats. Coming out of the Linfield timeout, Araya Watanabe put the match away with one final kill to seal a 3-1 win.
Missing some key pieces, Linfield spread the wealth offensively, while Myre had a team-high nine kills, closely followed by Millard with eight and Montiel with six. Rietdyk handed the libero duties, notching 16 digs with Myre handling 13 of her own. Millard got it done down low, recording five of the 'Cats 12 total blocks.
Pi'ilani Hirahara and Margaritah Banuelos split time setting, with the former leading with 14 and Banuelos notching 11. Hirahard and Millard also each had four aces from beyond the line.
The Wildcats now have 10 days off before starting the final push towards a Northwest Conference Tournament appearance. Linfield will head to Walla Walla, Washington, next weekend to face Whitman on Friday, October 24, at 7 p.m.
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