SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth pounded 50 kills and hit .321 as a team to roll to a 25-19, 25-19, 25-17 win over visiting Linfield in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Friday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

Kaimi Rocha had 15 kills to help the 24th-ranked Pirates improve to 15-5 overall and 10-1 in the NWC. The Wildcats fell to 8-12, 3-8 after their second loss of the season to Whitworth.

The first half of the first set was closely played. By the time Linfield took a 12-10 lead following a Pirate service error, there had already been six tie scores. But Whitworth used a quick 6-1 run, including a pair of kills by Ka'ipo Rocha to turn the final lead change into a 16-13 Pirate advantage. A block by the Rocha sisters gave Whitworth a 24-19 lead and the set ended with a Linfield attack error.

The Pirates led the second set from the outset, grabbing a 6-1 lead, then stretching that advantage to 17-7 on Amanda Grumbach's service ace. But the Wildcats fought back behind the hitting of Kelsey Ludin, who had six of her team-high nine kills in the frame, to within 20-15 on her final kill of the set. Kaimi Rocha ended the set in favor of the Pirates with a kill of her own.

Victoria Thompson's kill gave Linfield a 10-7 lead in the final set, but Whitworth answered with a 10-2 run, including three kills by Kristine Kardell, to grab a 17-12 lead. Kardell had five of her seven kills in the final set, including the match-winner.

Kaimi Rocha added three assisted blocks to her tally of 15 kills. Ka'ipo Rocha finished with 10 kills and a .533 hitting percentage. Jalana White came off of the bench for eight kills and hit .583. Whitney Santos led all players with 17 digs and Bree Riddle dished 45 assists.

Ludin hit .444 for the Wildcats with her team-high total of nine kills. Kailana Ritte-Camara added seven kills for Linfield, while setter Audrey Frazier led her team with 23 assists and 11 digs.

Whitworth will host Willamette on Saturday night, while Linfield travels to take on Whitman in Walla Walla.