By Seth Preuss

FOREST GROVE --- George Fox women's volleyball opened conference play against Pacific University on Wednesday, Sept. 12. The Bruins took one set on the road to extend the match before falling in four sets to the Boxers.

Recap

The Bruins stumbled out of the gate with a 25-8 loss in the opening set. After the intermission between sets one and two, the Bruins gathered themselves and showed improvement in their second set. The Boxers still edged George Fox in set two despite the improvement, taking a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-21 win in set two.

The Bruins fought their way back into the match after trailing late in the third set. Head coach Emily Davis used a timeout while trailing 17-14 to rally her team, and the Bruins stormed back to take the set with a 25-22 final score.

The momentum did not carry into the final set, however. George Fox stayed close in the early stages but quickly fell behind for good. The Boxers used a 6-2 run midway through the set to put the match out of reach and ended the night with a 25-15 win in set four.

Top Performers

Laney Search led the Bruins with nine kills and 18 assists. Paige O'Rear was right behind with eight kills and led all players with two blocks. Sophia Lawrence tallied 16 digs and was one of three Bruins to serve up an ace during the match.

What It Means

The Bruins still have a record above .500 in their 2018 campaign, but they will start their conference slate with a 0-1 record after the road loss.

What Happens Next

George Fox travels to face Puget Sound (Wash.) this Saturday, Sept. 15, at 5:00 pm.