NEWBERG, Ore. – The George Fox Bruins' volleyball defeated their NWC rival the Linfield Wildcats in a non-conference contest on Friday, taking the game in four sets after winning the final three sets in a row in dominating fashion. 

How It Happened
The Wildcats came out swinging in the first set, taking an early 10-5 lead. A five-point run a few points later would put the Bruins behind by nine, 16-7. The Wildcats would hold that lead to 20-11, but the Bruins gutted out a massive comeback, blitzing Linfield with a 9-2 run that featured kills from Gracie Bearden, Kenndey Kibby, and Jordan Hahn. After that run, Fox was down by just a point, 21-20; however, Linfield responded with a surge to get them across the finish line as Fox dropped the first set, 25-22. 

The momentum that Fox had built up during the comeback in the first game carried over into the second game. After a back-and-forth opening sequence, Fox rolled to a 10-5 lead and never looked back. GFU had a hit percentage of .483 in the set compared to a -.097 for the Wildcats, racking up 15 kills in the process. At one point, the set was tied, 14-14, before Fox caught fire and went 11-4 the rest of the way — slamming the door shut on the second set with a pair of Jenna Knibbs kills that set up 24th and 25 points. The win tied the game at one set each heading into the third set. 

The Bruins kept the good times going in the third set, opening up the frame with a 7-3 advantage early on after an Alexis Baer kill. The Wildcats climbed back to within a point, 7-6, and the Bruins responded with a 5-1 run that blew the game open, 12-7. A pair of service aces from Mia Cha brought the Bruins to their largest lead of the game a few points later, 19-8. Up by a mile, the Bruins cruised to game-point, winning the third set with a score of 25-16. 

In a start reminiscent of the first set, the Wildcats took a big lead early, this time going on a 5-1 run to start the fourth. The Bruins would respond to this one as well, though this time Fox wouldn't wait; George Fox took an 8-7 lead after a 7-3 run that featured a pair of Bearden kills. 

The Bruins and Cats went back and forth in a tense stretch that resulted in a 14-14 deadlock, then the Bruins broke through – using a kill from Baer, an ace from Labero Piper Hilgaertner, and another kill from Bearden to get things going. Fox would wrap up the fourth and ultimately final set with a massive and domineering 11-4 run. With the win in the set, the Bruins would complete the pseudo-sweep, winning three sets in a row after narrowly dropping the first, resulting in a 3-1 win for Fox. 

Top Performances
Gracie Bearden continued her breakout start to the season with a team-high 15 kills, while also racking up a pair of service aces. Kennedy Kibby piled up 30 assists in the contest, and Piper Hilgaertner matched that number in digs with 30 for the grad student. 

Coach's Thoughts
"We started off slow," Bruin head coach Emily Davis said, "but I was really proud of our team for sticking together and battling back no matter what line up was on the court. This team just has that fight in them and does a great job and getting business done."

What It Means
The Bruins are now 4-5, winning back-to-back games after their previous victory against the Wartburg Knights. The Wildcats fall to 3-3 on the young season.

What Comes Next
George Fox opens up Northwest Conference play in their next contest on September 20th, in Walla Walla, Washington against the Whitman Blues. The Game Starts at 7 pm.