FOREST GROVE, Ore. – The University of Puget Sound volleyball team rebounded from a tough loss with a 3-0 sweep of Pacific on Saturday. Brynn Blickenstaff and Natalie Monro took over the match, combining for 31 kills in the match.
The Loggers (17-6, 13-3) needed a win to keep their postseason hopes alive and edged the Boxers (5-19, 4-12) in three-straight sets 26-24, 25-22, 26-24. The Loggers hit .330 as a team to key the victory.
Blickenstaff and Monro pounded the Loggers to a hot start in the first set. Blickenstaff had seven kills and Monro had six as the Loggers took the first set 26-24. As a team, the Loggers made just one attacking error in the set, hitting .421.
In the second set, the Loggers outhit the Boxers .379-.267 to help take a 2-0 lead in the match. Kelsy Takashima had five kills for the Boxers, but it wasn't enough to overcome a strong Logger attack as they took the match 25-22. Monro led the Loggers in the third and deciding set with six more kills as the Loggers once again edged the Boxers 26-24.
In the match, Monro led the Loggers with 16 kills while Blickenstaff added 15 kills. Erika Greene tallied a match-high 43 assists as well as seven digs and two block assists. Juliette Witous, Kris Sumida and Marissa Florant each added 11 digs to the Loggers' cause.
For the Boxers, Kelsy Takashima pounded 12 kills to lead the team while Danica Thompson dished out 40 assists. Jade Thompson also had a match-high 18 digs.
The Loggers will learn their postseason fate on Monday morning at 8 a.m. (PT) when the NCAA Division III volleyball selection show will be aired on NCAA.com.
