TACOMA, Wash. - Putting up 11 service aces and seven blocks, the
21st-ranked Puget Sound Loggers swept past the Willamette Bearcats,
25-21, 25-21, 25-19, in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on
Friday evening at Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma, Wash.
In the first set, the visiting Bearcats actually held an early
lead, using a five unanswered points to pull ahead 10-8. The
Loggers answered back midway through the set, using a 7-1 run to
pull ahead 18-15 and a service ace by Kris Sumida (Kaneohe,
Hawaii/Iolani) and a Willamette attack error gave the Loggers a
25-21 set one victory.
The second set felt like a roller coaster as the two teams
traded runs. Down 6-7, the Loggers used a six point run,
including three aces by Sumida, to pull ahead 12-7. Puget
Sound looked like they would pick up an easy set two victory but
Willamette rattled off six straight points of their own to close
the gap to just three points at 22-19. After trading points,
the Loggers finally got the set winner on a service ace by Sumida
to take set two, 25-21.
In the third set, the Loggers got off to a quick start, leading
5-2, but the Bearcats quickly battled back as the two teams traded
the lead five times and found themselves tied on 12 different
occasions. With the set tied at 18, Puget Sound used a 7-1
run to wrap up the match with a 25-19 set three victory to collect
the sweep.
The Loggers were led by nine kills each from Bre Boyce (Kent,
Wash./Kentwood) and Kalli Kamphaus (Manson, Wash.). Kamphaus
also added five blocks on the night while Stephanie Harvey (Yakima,
Wash./Eisenhower) put up 27 assists. Leigh Sumida finished
with 19 digs on the night while Kris Sumida served up six aces to
go with 10 digs of her own.
Willamette was led by nine kills from Jaci Abeloe and six each
from Julie Stutzman and Jessie McGraw. Brigit Miller put up
28 assists while Stutzman and Molly Blankenship finished with three
blocks each.
The Loggers have the rest of the weekend off, returning to
action next Friday when they play host to Whitworth.
