SPOKANE, Wash. – Opening Northwest Conference women's volleyball action against the defending league champions proved to be a difficult task for visiting George Fox University as the youthful Bruins dropped a 3-1 decision to the veteran Whitworth University Pirates Friday night here at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Pirates, with five returning starters, rolled to a 25-21, 25-13, 19-25, 25-17 win over the Bruins, who returned only two starters and had four freshmen in its starting rotation.  Whitworth improved to 6-4 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while George Fox fell to .500 at 5-5 overall and 0-1 in the NWC.

George Fox struggled offensively most of the match, hitting only .100 overall with 44 kills but 30 errors.  Whitworth was much more efficient as the Pirates posted a .238 attack mark with 48 kills and only 18 errors.

The Bruins maintained a lead for most of the first set, their largest advantage being six points twice, the last at 16-10 following a kill by Stephanie Kerr.  The Pirates fought back and out-scored the Bruins 8-1 to close the set, vaulting from a 20-17 deficit to the 25-21 win.  A kill by Kerr made it 21-21, but a winner by Kaimi Rocha and three straight unforced Bruin attack errors ended the set.

The Bruins hit a minus -.036 while the Pirates slugged .292 to win the second set handily.  Two spikes by Kerr and one by Erin Campbell fueled an outburst that gave the Bruins an early 5-1 lead, but the Pirates roared back with 14-3 run to take a comfortable 15-8 advantage.  Whitworth secured the win with eight straight winning points that made it 23-10, and a kill by Bree Riddle closed out the set.

In the third set, the Bruins scored the first eight points behind two service aces by Betsy Wilhelm and a pair of winners by Kerr and never trailed.  They took their largest lead at 18-7 after a block by Kerr and Kylee Adderson before the Pirates rallied to pull within four at 23-19 on an ace by Jordon Hoffnagle.  However, a kill by Adderson sealed the win and kept the Bruins alive.

In the fourth set, Whitworth cruised with a sizzling .448 attack percentage, collecting 14 kills with only one error.  The game was tied 14-14 after the Bruins' Cassie Irwin hit a winner to cap a 7-3 run that knotted the score, but the Pirates went on an 11-3 tear to pull away, the match ending on a final Bruin attack error.

Campbell led George Fox with 13 kills, hitting .281, and Kerr added eight.  Mackenzie Teigen passed out 22 assists and Chelsea Wilson had 11.  Defensively, Teigen had 16 digs and Patti Reeves 12, while Kerr was in on four of the Bruins' five blocks (one solo, three assisted).

Rocha led all hitter with 14 kills for Whitworth, and Kristine Kardell chipped in with 11 and a .400 attack percentage.  Riddle handed out 38 assists.  Rocha made 13 digs and Amanda Grumbach contributed four block assists.

NEXT: George Fox visits Whitman College, which lost at home 3-0 to Pacific University, and Whitworth hosts Pacific Saturday, both matches at 5:00 p.m.