PORTLAND, Ore. – Whitworth University's defense shut down winless Lewis & Clark College in a three-set sweep of the Pioneers in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Friday night at the Pamplin Sports Center.
The Pirates (11-4 overall, 5-0 NWC) earned their 23rd straight NWC victory with the 25-17, 25-15, 25-16 win over L&C (0-12, 0-5). The Pioneers finished the match with a 0.022 hitting percentage as the Bucs forced them into 21 errors.
Whitworth trailed 8-6 in the opening set before going on a 7-0 run to a 13-8 lead after Alyssa Baird's service ace. Josephine Thompson's ace made it 19-10. Mya Rodriguez ended the set in the Pirates' favor by dumping her set between the L&C defenders. While the Bucs hit only .125 in the opening game, they held the Pioneers to a -0.148 percentage with 9 errors and only five kills.
The second set played out in similar fashion. After the Pioneers forced a 7-7 tie, Whitworth used an 8-0 run to open a 15-7 lead after Olivia Paul's ace. Amblessed Okemgbo's kill increased the margin to 19-9 and Lindsey Short ended the game with a kill. The Bucs hit .333 with 13 kills and only one error in 36 attempts. L&C hit .129.
The Pioneers took their largest lead of the match when Kaitlyn Jensen's ace put the Pioneers ahead 9-5 in the third. Whitworth responded with a quick 6-1 run, going up 11-10 on Short's kill. Baird served another ace and L&C had an error, forcing a timeout at 16-13. Lauren Kremer's kill increased the margin to 20-14. The Pioneers closed the match with three straight errors.
Kremer led the Pirates with nine kills, while hitting .600. She also led with five blocks (two solo, three assists). Baird had eight kills, four aces and a block assist for 12.5 points. Okemgbo finished with seven kills. Rodriguez (12) and Thompson (11) combined for 23 assists as Whitworth hit .239 in the match. Oliva Paul served three aces and had eight digs.
Jensen led L&C with 10 kills, an ace and a block assist.
Whitworth will close out the Oregon road trip at George Fox on Saturday night.
