SALEM, Ore. - Taking to the road for the first time in Northwest Conference play, the 15th-ranked Puget Sound Loggers held of the upset-minded Willamette Bearcats, 3-1, in a Northwest Conference volleyball match on Saturday night in Salem, Ore.

The Loggers came out strong from the very beginning, using a kills from Brynn Blickenstaff (Eagle, Idaho) to take the initial lead and never looking back, taking a 25-16 set one victory.  It was much the same in the second set as the Loggers scored the first six points of the match and the Bearcats had no way back.  With the Loggers leading 14-10 midway through the set, Puget Sound went on an 11-5 run to take set two, 25-15. 

Puget Sound initially looked like they would collect the sweep but Willamette defended their home court, battling late in the set to take a 25-21 victory.  The Loggers returned the favor in the fourth set, collecting a 25-21 win to clinch the match, three sets to one.

Puget Sound was led by 16 kills from Blickenstaff who commited just three attack errors on 32 attempts for a .406 hitting percentage.  Bre Boyce (Kent, Wash./Kentwood) chipped in 11 kills with two errors on 19 attempts for a .474 hitting percentage and senior Kalli Kamphaus (Manson, Wash.) chipped in 10 kills in the win.   Stephanie Harvey (Yakima, Wash./Eisenhower) recoreded 34 assists to lead all players.

Willamtte was led by 10 kills from Molly Blankenship.  Brigit Miller added 21 assists while Kathy Lee Glenn added a match-high 17 digs in the loss.

Puget Sound will next be in action next Friday when they head east of the Cascades to take on Whitman in Walla Walla, Wash.