McMINNVILLE, Ore. — The George Fox women's volleyball team showcased both their offense and defense in three dominant and well-rounded sets against the Linfield Wildcats, 3-0.
How It Happened
It didn't take long before offensive aggression was being shown on the court for the Bruins. While Linfield, who entered the game with out two of their top attackers and their main libero, was the first to take an early lead, they couldn't hold onto it for long. The Bruins made sure to answer back with a four-point run of their own; alongside a kill,
Audrey Schmitt showed off her defense as well with a solo block and
Gracie Bearden recorded two aces to put GFU back in the game, 5-4.
From there, it became a back-and-forth battle on the court. For Fox, Schmitt continued to be an offensive presence while Makena Philips and
Jordan Hahn contributed kills of their own. George Fox especially showed their strength from behind the service line;
Eden Cha and
Isabella Avila each had service aces to help lengthen GFU's lead to 14-8. As much as the 'Cats tried to equalize the score, there was no stopping the Bruins once they found their rhythm. Bearden secured another ace,
Addison Goff showed off with some powerful kills of her own, and Cha claimed four of the last five points of the set to finish things off with a bang, 25-14
The second set began with even more presence from Fox — especially from
Madelyn Gunn. After starting things off with a smashing kill, Gunn recorded an ace to make the score 4-2. It didn't take long for other Lady Bruins to back her up; Bearden, Schmitt, and Cha each had a kill while Schmitt and Cha came together to form a wall at the top of the net for a silencing block. Only seconds later, Goff and Hahn put together a block of their own before Goff secured a hit; Schmitt also showed off her offense and defense with a solo block and a kill, and
Chloe Wiersma made sure to add an ace of her own, 15-9.
Over the next few points, George Fox made sure to capitalize on any mistakes the Wildcats made, but still managed to make offensive moves of their own. Cha and Goff each had a kill which Gunn quickly followed with a service ace. After three consecutive Bruin points — including kills from Bearden and Goff — GFU took the second set to keep their good energy going, 25-19.
With the game on the line, Linfield was ready to put up more of a fight, making sure to match Fox with each attack they dealt. However, they couldn't stop Cha and her aggression at the net; she put together three powerful kills before recording a block with Hahn by her side. While Cha was leading the Bruins with her offense, Hahn led through her defense. After Hahn's block with Cha, the very next play she secured another, this time alongside Philips, and Bearden finished things off with a solid kill, 6-3.
The Wildcats made sure to keep the pressure on, but GFU remained unfazed. Goff, Hahn, Cha, and Schmitt all contributed kills and Wiersma collected yet another ace. With the Lady Bruins' offense combined with Linfield mistakes from the pressure, it didn't take long before George Fox held a 20-17 lead. With only five points left to go, Goff started things off with a strong kill which Avila quickly followed with an ace; Cha and Schmitt put together two hard-struck hits to end the set with a finishing blow, 25-20, and the game, 3-0.
Top Performances
Overall, GFU had many players who had a big night on both the offensive and defensive end.
Eden Cha led the team in kills and digs with 12 and 10, respectively, while also having two block assists. Behind Cha in kills was
Addison Goff with eight and
Audrey Schmitt with six.
Gracie Bearden recorded three aces while Cha,
Madelyn Gunn,
Isabella Avila, and
Chloe Wiersma had two apiece for a combined 11 aces.
Jordan Hahn contributed three block assists and Schmitt secured two solo blocks of her own. Wiersma was Fox's main setter with 14 assists and
Kendall Stidham followed with 10.
Coach's Thoughts
"We have been working hard on improving this whole year," Bruin head coach Emily Dvais said, "Even though Linfield was missing some key players it was a great chance to see us play tough and finish in three sets."
What It Means
Fox rises to 5-14 (3-9 NWC) thanks to their first road sweep since 2024, while the 'Cats fall to 8-11 (5-7 NWC).
What Happens Next
The Lady Bruins will stay on their home court for their next competition against Whitworth on Friday, October 30. The game is scheduled to start at 2:00pm.
