McMINNVILLE, Ore. -- The George Fox volleyball team rounded out the first half of the Northwest Conference schedule against the Linfield Wildcats, crushing them in a road 3-0 sweep. 

How It Happened
The Wildcats started off with the first point, but the Bruins didn't let them far ahead, with kills from Addison Robertson and Lexi Baer keeping the game close. Eventually, Fox tied 13-13 after a kill by Taylor DeKoning, though the Bruins struggled to keep pace as the Wildcats jumped ahead. Despite a 17-14 deficit, the final few points were dominated by the Bruins as Baer, Jordan Hahn and DeKoning finished the set with three kills, finishing the first on an 11-4 run to win the set, 25-21.

The second set began similarly, with Linfield scoring the first point — but this time, the Bruins dominated from the get-go. A Gracie Bearden kill punctuated a quick 16-10 start for Fox, with setter Addison Coulter joining in on the action with a kill of her own. Another kill by Baerden and then a powerful block by Baer and Breanna Babcock kept them in a solid lead. Babcock finished the set off with a kill of her own, making the final score of the set 25-20.

Robertson started the set off with a kill, and the Bruins started with a quick 3-0 lead before the Wildcats worked their way back to take a 7-5 lead. Two service aces in a row by Coulter shifted the momentum momentarily before the set moved to a game of runs as the two teams volleyed points back and forth. Fox fell down, 11-13, before a 3-0 run gave them the lead. Then, a 3-0 run from Linfield put the Wildcats back in control — before five straight points put Fox in front.

As Linfield countered with a 4-1 run of their own to tie the game at 21-21, the Bruins mounted one last charge to earn the sweep. A kill from Hahn gave Fox a 23-22 lead before a block from Hahn and Robertson put the Bruins on the brink of victory; Fox finished off the Wildcats thanks to a bad set from Linfield, giving GFU the sweep on the heels of a 25-22 third set win.

Top Performances
Addison Robertson had a total of seven kills and three digs, while Jordan Hahn and Lexi Baer had six kills. Gracie Bearden had five kills and nine digs, while Hahn led the team with three blocks. Piper Hilgaertner led the team with 14 digs, with Kennedy Kibby leading the way with 18 set assists. 

Coach's Thoughts
"We had great coverage on our block tonight," Bruin head coach Emily Davis said, "and it was nice to have a strong offensive match."

What It Means
With the win the Bruins climb back to over .500 on the season with a 9-8 record and improve to 5-3 in NWC play. The Wildcats are now 4-11 (1-7 NWC). 

What Comes Next
The Bruins travel back to Newberg, Ore. to play the Whitworth Pirates (16-2, 8-0 NWC) on Friday, October 18 at 7:00 pm.