NEWBERG, Ore. – Unable to find an answer for the red-hot hand of Pacific University's Kelsy Takashima, the George Fox University Bruins dropped three straight sets after winning the first one as the visiting Boxers prevailed 3-1 in Northwest Conference volleyball Wedensday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.

Takashima blistered the ball for 18 kills and only one error in 31 attempts, a .548 percentage, leading the Boxers to a 20-25, 25-21, 25-18, 25-22 win over the Bruins.  She was one of four Boxers with double-digit kills as the visitors hit .221 overall to .142 for the home team.

George Fox pulled away late to win the first set.  Erin Campbell had three kills as the Bruins jumped out to an 8-3 lead, but the Boxers hung close and eventually took a 19-17 lead on a service ace by Alexa Block.  The Bruins responded with six straight points, three of them unforced Pacific hitting errors.  After a block by Mariah McHolland halted the George Fox run, the Bruins got back-to-back kills by Betsy Wilhelm and Campbell to take the opener.

Pacific took a quick 3-0 lead in the second set, but Patti Reeves served two aces in a 5-0 run that gave the Bruins a 6-4 lead.  Wilhelm later put the Bruins in front 20-19 with a kill, but Takashima tied it with a kill of her own and then hit two more winners, including the clincher, as the Boxers closed the set with a 6-1 outburst to even the match.

The third set was all Boxers as the visitors used a 7-0 blast to leap ahead 11-2, serving four aces in that span.  Campbell served three aces in a 6-0 George Fox run that brought the Bruins within four at 13-9, but that was as close as they would get.  The Boxers gradually extended the lead back to eight at 20-12 on a kill by Haley Bedell and sailed from there.

The fourth set saw six early ties before the Bruins took a 10-9 lead on a block by Tiffany Burk and Wilhelm.  They maintained a lead between one and three points over the middle of the set, taking a 20-17 lead on a winner by Wilhelm.  The Boxers went ahead with a 5-1 run, but the Bruins knotted in one last time off a spike by Stephanie Kerr.  Pacific ended it, however, with a kill by Block, a Bruin attack error, and a block by the appropriately-named Block and McHolland.

Campbell was the only Bruin in double figures with 12 kills, though Wilhelm and Kerr added nine apiece.  Mackenzie Teigen had 24 assists and Chelsea Wilson 12.  On defense, Reeves made 24 digs, Wilson 14, and Teigen and Campbell 10 each.  Burk was in on four blocks and Ameena Bossier on three.

Joining Takashima in the Boxers' hit parade were Bedell with 12, and McHolland and Block with 10 each.  Malea Webb handed out 30 assists and Gabriela Vega 12.  Defensively, Block and Jade Thompson had 18 digs apiece, and Bedell added 11.  McHolland had four blocks, with Takashima and Block contributing three block assists each.

NEXT: George Fox (6-8, NWC 1-4) ends its three-game home stand Friday against Willamette University (5-8, NWC 2-2) ... Pacific (9-5, NWC 3-2), perhaps the league's biggest surprise in the early going, plays again Saturday, hosting Linfield College (6-7, NWC 1-3) at 7:00 p.m.