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Whitman Edges Puget Sound to Open Home Volleyball Tourney
WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- A Carrie Cecil kill and Anna Conrad service ace vaulted Whitman College to a 21-19 game-five victory and 3-2 match triumph in Saturday morning's opening battle of the Whitman Volleyball Invitational in Sherwood Center.
It was the season-opening match for both Northwest Conference schools.
After Whitman won game one 25-23, Puget Sound bounced back to take the next two by the same 25-19 score. The Missionaries then posted a 25-19 win in game four to even the match and force a deciding fifth set.
Whitman took an early 7-4 lead in the fifth but the Loggers pulled even at 9-9. Neither side led by more than a point the rest of the way.
Needing to win by two points, the Missionaries had match points at 15-14 and 16-15. Puget Sound staved off defeat in both cases and moved head 17-16, only to see the host squad pocket the next two points for a third match point at 18-17.
Puget Sound's Brynn Blickenstaff, who pounded a match-high 23 kills, knocked down her last two points to forge the final two ties at 19-19.
That's when Cecil converted an assist from first-year Whitman setter Rachel Cline, setting the stage for Conrad, a first-year sophomore, to toss the Missionaries over the top with her one and only service ace of the match.
Sophomore Courtney Brewer paced a balanced Whitman offense with 13 kills while first-year teammate Jillian Davis added 13 kills and 20 digs.
Cecil finished with nine kills. Sophomore Olivia Nielson added eight kills and four block assists. Cline collected 42 assists.
Puget Sound, which finished second in the NWC a year ago, entered Saturday's match with a No. 25 preseason national ranking.
Natalie Monroe added eight kills to the Logger offense. Erika Greene combined 50 assists and 11 digs, and Juliette Witrous scooped 21 digs.
Puget Sound finished with nine service aces but was guilty of a whopping 18 service errors. Whitman had seven aces against just six errors.
Puget Sound returns to tournament action at 3 p.m. today against Pacific Lutheran, which got past Menlo College (25-21, 25-22, 25-18) in this morning's other match.
Whitman and Menlo finish the Saturday schedule with a 5 p.m. match.
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CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
