NEWBERG, Ore. — The George Fox volleyball team finally returned to campus to play a match at their alternate gym, falling to Whitworth 3-0 at Hadlock Student Center Friday night. 

How it Happened
After two very competitive sets, the Pirates grabbed the upper hand early in the third stanza and pulled away for the three game sweep, winning by scores of 26-24, 25-21, 25-9.
George Fox served set point in the first set after freshman setter Addison Hawes made a veteran play, sending a quick two-hand return over the net to dead space on first contact to give the Bruins a 24-23 lead. It appeared the Bruins had taken the set when Whitworth middle blocker Kaity Barr sent a shot past the Bruins' back line, but it caught a fingertip at the net and the Pirates got the point to even the set at 24-24. Back-to-back kills by Abigail Hudson polished off the game one win for the Pirates as she sent back an off-target Bruin set, then powered a back set through the Fox block for the 25th point.
"It was hard to lose that first set when we were so close to winning it," said George Fox head coach Emily Davis. "I was really proud of the way we battled. We had some new lineups tonight and some new players who hadn't seen the court much. I was really proud of how hard they worked."
The second game was a barnburner as well. Whitworth got out to a 5-1 lead, but George Fox came back to tie it 8-8 on an Olivia Jacobsen kill. Both teams went on runs with Whitworth racing to a 15-10 lead capped by a Barr ace, before Fox countered with a seven-point run with Piper Harrop at the service line to grab a 17-15 lead. Whitworth closed out the set by scoring four of the final five points before a GFU attack error surrendered the clinching point.
After two tough defeats in the first two stanzas, the wind seemed to go out of the Bruins' sails in the final set. Whitworth stormed out to a 5-0 lead and the Bruins' never could sustain a run as the Pirates completed a sweep of the game and the season series to keep their Northwest Conference mark spotless at 9-0. 

Top Performers 
Bailey LeBreton led the Bruins at the net with eight kills and four blocks, but George Fox could not overcome Whitworth outside hitter Madison Lee. The Central Washington transfer had a match-high 14 kills to go with four blocks and a team-high 14 digs. Hawes, filling in for Lee's former teammate in Ellensburg, Kennedy Kibby, accounted well for herself with 16 assists and a pair of blocks. 
"As a freshman coming in and setting as a 5-1 just did fantastic," said Davis about Hawes. "She worked so hard and has a great attitude. She just did a great job tonight."

Coach's Thoughts
"It was hard to lose by so much in the third set," said Davis, "but overall Whitworth is the strongest team that we've played this year. I'm really excited for them and the rest of the season, how well they're going to do.
"We're so excited to be home. It's very nice to be home and sleep in our own beds. We are finally in the home stretch."

What it Means
The Bruins get to spend the entire back half of their schedule at home and are just a week away from returning to Miller Gymnasium as the finishing touches are put on the new gym floor. First, though, the Bruins play host to Whitman Sunday night at 6 p.m..