SALEM, Ore. – It took five sets, but the Puget Sound volleyball team defeated Willamette in Salem, Ore., 3-2 Saturday night. It's the second-straight conference win for the Loggers as they improve to 8-4 overall and 3-1 in NWC play. Set scores were, 21-25, 25-22, 25-11, 22-25 and 15-6.

The Loggers hit .205 in the match and held Willamette to a mere .089 percentage. Senior Natalie Monro (Eagle, Idaho) led the Loggers with 19 kills (19-5-53, .264). Junior Brynn Blickenstaff, also from Eagle, Idaho, had a double-double with 13 kills (13-5-39, .205) and 11 digs, her third of the season. Erika Greene, a junior from Sandy, Utah, also posted a double-double with 45 assists and 10 digs. It was the fifth double-double for Green. Junior Juliette Witous (Sonoma, Calif.) had a team-high 16 digs.

Puget Sound also led in blocks (10.0-8.0), service aces (10-6) and assists (51-41).

The Bearcats led most of the first set but the Loggers took their first lead of the match at 17-16 on a Willamette service error. The home team rallied back and never trailed after that, going on a 5-0 run to close out set one.

Set two, though close in the end score, was dominated by Puget Sound. The Loggers led by as many as six twice at 15-9 and 20-14.

After the break, Puget Sound went up 2-1 in the match with a 25-11 set three victory. The Loggers made runs of six and seven in the set, going up by as many as 14.

Willamette evened the match by taking set four 25-22. The Bearcats went up 6-2 but Puget Sound fought back and even took the lead by as many as three at 11-8. The Bearcats tied the set at 14 and never looked back.

In the fifth and deciding set, Puget Sound led from the start and sealed the victory with a kill from Blickenstaff.

The Bearcats (6-7, 2-2 NWC) were led by Molly Blankenship with 14 kills. Danica Reed added 10 kills and 11 digs.

The Loggers continue conference play at George Fox on Oct. 1 at 7 p.m.