McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Too many attack errors and a costly collection of service errors in a close second set by the George Fox University Bruins enabled the Linfield College Wildcats to win a Northwest Conference women's volleyball battle between Yamhill County rivals 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-21) Saturday night here at Ted Wilson Gym.

In the first set, George Fox jumped out to a 5-1 lead on a kill by Eliza Pledger, two by Stephanie Kerr, and a service ace by Chelsea Wilson.  The Bruins were up 8-4 before the Wildcats got rolling with a 7-0 run that was sparked by a pair of aces by Kelsey Ludin and two kills by Rosa Gimson.  Linfield took its biggest lead at 18-11 on an ace by Cora Hall, but the Bruins climbed within two points three times, the last at 22-20, before the Wildcats ended the set with a kill by Shayli Coppock, a block by Gimson and Tara Hill, and a Bruin attack error.

The 'Cats roared out to a 10-2 lead in the second set before the Bruins clawed their way back into it with an 11-3 burst, tying it 13-13 on a kill by Kerr.  Linfield regained the lead on a George Fox service error, one of six they committed in the set that proved damaging.  The Bruins managed one more tie at 16-16 on a Linfield attack error, but the Wildcats went on a 6-1 run for a 22-17 lead and finished the set off with a Coppock winner.

The third set was extremely tight through the first half, with eight ties and seven lead changes in the first 31 points.  Down 15-14, the Wildcats got four kills in a row by Hill, Jordan Johnson, and two by Ludin to build an 18-15 lead, and extended it to 23-18 on a spike by Bethany Dickey.  A solo block by Pledger and a tandem block by Pledger and Kerr helped pull the Bruins back within three at 24-21 before the 'Cats ended the suspense with a kill by Emily Carpenter.

Kerr had nine kills to lead the Bruins' offense, which had 28 kills but 27 errors in 126 attempts for a .008 hitting percentage.  Ali Toedtemeier handed out 25 assists.  Patti Reeves made 16 digs, and Pledger had two solo blocks and two block assists.

Ludin led Linfield, which hit .118 (31-18-110) with nine kills.  Hall had 16 assists and Carpenter 12.  Samantha Lau, the conference leader in digs, had 26, and Hill added 11.  Gimson had one solo block and five block assists.

NEXT:  George Fox (7-11, NWC 2-6) begins the second half of conference play at home Friday at 7:00 p.m. against Lewis & Clark College … Linfield (7-8, NWC 5-2) closes out the first half of its NWC slate at league co-leader Pacific Lutheran University Sunday at 4:00 p.m.