NEWBERG, Ore. – The Bruins were unable to fend off the competitive Whitworth Pirates, falling in a midday Friday match, 3-0.
How it Happened
Fox and Whitworth, who entered the game receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll. traded the first few points, with
Gracie Bearden stealing the first kill for the Bruins. Next, Whitworth went on a three-point run, which was broken up by a block by
Jordan Hahn and Makena Philips, putting the score at 7-4. Whitworth took two more points, and then
Addison Goff, Bearden, and Hahn contributed to a three-kill streak to make the score 9-7. The game resumed in a back-and-forth motion, featuring kills by Hahn and Goff and a block by
Audrey Schmitt and Bearden. Three consecutive points furthered Whitworth's lead to 15-11.
Eden Cha disrupted the run with a kill, and Philips got a kill as well.
The 'Bucs took six of the next seven points, interrupted only by a Schmitt kill, bringing the score to a distant 21-14. Bearden put up a kill for Fox, but the Pirates collected another three kills, taking the match to game point. A kill by Philips brought about a return for the Bruins—Bearden earned a kill, Hahn and Goff notched a block, and
Isabella Avila logged an ace. Despite the five-point run, Whitworth took the game, 25-20.
Game two began with a kill by
Madelyn Gunn, handing the Bruins a temporary 1-0 lead. Whitworth then grabbed four points in a row, with a Schmitt kill ending their crusade. The Pirates added three more points to their total, with the score now at 7-2. Fox capitalized on three of the next four points before Whitworth snatched another five. The Bruins started to battle back from the 13-5 score; the total slid to 14-10, thanks in part to three kills by Goff and a kill by Bearden. Gaining the lead was now a possibility for Fox, as the two teams took turns earning points. Schmitt and Cha recorded kills, and
Kendall Stidham landed a service ace. Regardless of Fox's efforts, the 'Bucs were able to carry the score from 18-14 to 25-14, taking the second set.
Schmitt got the first kill for Fox, and Cha earned the next, bringing the score to 3-2 in Whitworth's favor. The next four points went to the Pirates, but kills from Schmitt and Hahn kept the game close at 7-4. Both teams took two points each, followed by a three-point Pirate run. Fox put up two more points; the Pirates stole three, raising the score to 17-10. Cha and Schmitt both snagged kills, and then Fox went on a three-point run, featuring kills by
Hannah Huffman and Goff, as well as another service ace by Cha, setting the score at 22-17. Hahn put up one more kill before the Pirates took the final game 25-18.
Top Performances
Audrey Schmitt and
Addison Goff grabbed seven kills each, with
Jordan Hahn totaled six.
Chloe Wiersma collected 16 assists;
Kendall Stidham saw 14.
Eden Cha completed 10 digs, followed by Stidham and Bearden with eight each.
Isabella Avila,
Madelyn Gunn, Cha, and Stidham all earned a service ace. Hahn led the team with two blocks.
What it Means
Fox's record slides to 5-15 (3-10 NWC) while the Pirates advance to 18-2 (12-1 NWC).
What Happens Next
George Fox will celebrate their seniors in their game against Whitman on Saturday, October 31, in Newberg, Ore. The match is set to start at 6:00 pm.
