Box Score

FOREST GROVE, Ore. - Veteran mentor Steve Grant picked up his milestone 550th coaching win as the George Fox University Bruins bounced back from Pacific University's best-hitting game of the season in the first set for a 3-1 victory over the Boxers in Northwest Conference volleyball action Saturday night here at the Pacific Athletic Center.

The Boxers hit an impressive .406 in the opening set but the Bruins rallied to win their sixth match in a row 19-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-23, improving to 11-3 overall and 4-2 in the NWC.  Grant, who entered the season 13th in victories among active NCAA Division III coaches and 19th all-time among D-III coaches, is now 550-361 in his 28th season at George Fox.  Pacific fell to 6-8 overall and 1-5 in the conference.

The Boxers and Bruins engaged in a close game early in the first set, the Boxers taking an 11-7 lead on a block by Kelsy Takashima and Christiana Chandler.  The game stayed within four points until Nia White made it 19-13 with her kill and Jade Thompson served the Boxers to a 22-13 lead on a kill by Alexa Block.  A Janna Kaopuiki kill closed it out for the Boxers, who had 15 kills against just two errors in the set.

After an early 1-0 Pacific lead to open the second set, the Bruins pulled ahead 9-5 on a Kaitlyn Maddams service ace before the Boxers tied it at 12-12 on a Kelsey Carter kill.  The Bruins held Pacific at bay, however, building a three-point lead before the Boxers tied again 20-20 on a pair of attack errors.  Lyndsay Hovee led the way for George Fox down the stretch as she posted two kills to secure the 25-21 win.

Pacific rocketed out to a 5-1 lead in the third set, but Eliza Pledger served the Bruins to five straight winners and took a 6-5 lead on a service ace. Kaopuiki's kill tied at 6-6 and the teams traded a couple of rallies before the Bruins pulled ahead 9-7 on a Pacific attack error.  A kill by Maddams opened up an 18-14 lead and started a run in which George Fox scored eight of the last nine points for the win.

Pacific held a 4-1 lead early in the fourth set before George Fox charged back behind the serve of Hovee, who won six points on four Pacific errors for a 10-6 lead.  The Bruins led by as much as 18-10 on a block by Pledger and Sarah Crossfield before the Boxers came back, using a pair of kills by block to tie it at 19-19.  The Bruins took the lead right back and led 24-21 on Betsy Wilhelm's kill before Pacific won the serve and had a chance to force extra points, but an attack error closed the match.

Hovee led the Bruins with 12 kills and 15 digs while Maddams and Stephanie Kerr each had nine kills.  Ali Toedtemeier added 26 assists and Lani Rasmussen 16.  Jennifer Panico chipped in with 10 digs, while Maddams had five blocks and Pledger four.

Block led the Boxers with 15 kills while Chandler added 12.  Sara George had 28 assists and Brittney Johnson 15.  Thompson led the defense with 20 digs and Block added 10.

George Fox returns home to host Willamette University on Friday at 7:00 p.m.  Pacific is at home next weekend, hosting Whitman College on Friday at 7:00 p.m.