PORTLAND, Ore. – Tatum Montiel delivered a career performance with 21 kills as Linfield volleyball (8-10, 5-6 NWC) took down Lewis & Clark (4-15, 1-11 NWC) in four sets, 25-14, 21-25, 25-22, 25-19, Friday evening.
Linfield opened the match with a strong offensive showing, hitting .265 in the first set. After a back-and-forth start, the Wildcats took control with a four-point run behind a Kaarina Geymann service ace and a block from Nora Myre and Ascha Nielsen to establish a 16-9 advantage. Linfield continued to build momentum as Montiel delivered consecutive kills before Myre sparked a six-point run from the service line, recording two aces to extend the lead to 23-11. Montiel eventually closed out the opening frame with her fourth kill of the set, securing a 25-14 victory.
The Wildcats carried their momentum into the second set, jumping ahead 3-0 behind an Abri Lopez service ace and a block from Dani Pomele and Kaitlyn Hough. Lewis & Clark responded with five consecutive points to take a 5-3 lead before Linfield regained control at 10-8 following a kill from Kinley Deewall and an ace from Nielsen. The teams continued exchanging points throughout a tightly contested frame that featured 14 ties and five lead changes. Linfield pulled even at 21-21 on a Hough kill, but the Otters captured the final four points to even the match with a 25-21 victory.
Linfield responded in the third set behind an offensive attack led by Montiel, who recorded eight kills in the frame. The Wildcats jumped ahead 6-3 before Lewis & Clark rallied to take a 9-7 advantage. Linfield answered with a four-point surge, highlighted by another Montiel kill, to regain the lead at 13-10. The Otters battled back to tie the set at 13-13, but the Wildcats used a four-point run featuring a Montiel kill and a Margaritah Banuelos service ace to move ahead 18-14. Deewall contributed several timely kills down the stretch before Montiel sealed the 25-22 victory with her eighth kill of the set.
The Wildcats delivered their strongest offensive performance in the fourth set, recording 19 kills and hitting .333 to secure the match. Linfield established an early 7-2 advantage behind kills from Montiel, Katelyn Mawdsley and Nielsen, along with a block from Nielsen and Montiel. The Wildcats continued to pull away, extending their lead to 17-8 following consecutive kills from Deewall, Pomele and Montiel. Lewis & Clark mounted a late rally to cut the deficit to 23-19, but Deewall delivered her 10th kill of the match before Linfield closed out the set 25-19.
Montiel led the Wildcats with a career-high 21 kills on 39 attempts, committing just four errors for a .436 hitting percentage. Hough added 11 kills on 26 attempts while hitting .269, and Deewall brokethrough with a career night of her own with 10 kills and a .292 hitting percentage. Nielsen contributed four kills, four block assists and two service aces, while Mawdsley and Pomele each added two kills.
Banuelos directed the Linfield offense with 23 assists and 15 digs for a double-double, while Geymann added 19 assists, eight digs and three service aces. Jocie Snyder contributed 13 digs, four assists and an ace, while Kaylea Rietdyk finished with 10 digs. Lopez added six digs and a service ace.
The 'Cats return home tomorrow night to host cross-county rival George Fox at 6 p.m. to round out Fall Family Weekend.
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