SAN ANTONIO – Whitworth University split its first two volleyball matches of the 2023 season, falling to preseason #2-ranked Trinity in four sets before pulling out a five-set thriller against UT-Dallas at the Trinity National Invitational on Friday.
Ella Jimenez had 21 kills for the Pirates (1-1), who conclude the tournament on Saturday with matches against Texas Lutheran and Birmingham-Southern.
Trinity 3, Whitworth 2 – Ella Jimenez had 13 kills but the Pirates fell to the 2nd-ranked Tigers 25-21, 25-20, 16-25, 25-16 in the season-opener for both teams early on Friday.
The Pirates played from behind through the first two sets, but jumped to a 10-2 lead early in the third to take a set off the powerful hosts who reached the NCAA Division III championship match in 2022.
Whitworth was still within 15-13 in the fourth set before the Tigers closed on a 10-3 run.
Kaity Barr and Logan Spencer added seven kills apiece for the Bucs, while Cassidy Franklin had four blocks (one solo, three assists). Mya Rodriguez and Josephine Thompson each dished 17 assists and Taylor Miche had 18 digs.
Marissa Drange, a transfer from the University of Idaho, led Trinity with a dozen kills.
Whitworth 3, UT-Dallas 2 – Whitworth scored the final two points of the match to pull out a 25-12, 22-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-13 win over the Comets in Friday's late contest.
Spencer had a kill, while Franklin and Rodriguez combined for a block to account for those winning points.
The Pirates rolled to a win in the opening set and had a chance to go ahead by two sets after leading 21-20 late in the second before UT-Dallas went on a late 5-1 run.
Whitworth trailed 23-21 in the third, but the Pirates scored the final four points of the set to pull out a crucial win. Abigail Hudson had two kills before Jimenez finished the set with an ace. The Comets bounced back to win the fourth set before Whitworth pulled out the thrilling fifth stanza.
Spencer led the Pirates with nine kills with Jimenez and Hudson each contributing eight. Barr and Hudson dominated at the net. Barr was in on eight block assists and Hudson had seven blocks (three solo, four assists) as Whitworth finished the match with 17 team blocks. Thompson had 18 assists and Rodriguez added 14.
Bailey Schievelbein led the Comets with 15 kills.
