PORTLAND, Ore. -- The George Fox volleyball team snapped a nine-game losing streak with a gritty road win over Lewis & Clark, downing the River Otters in five sets.
How It Happened
Things looked dire for the Bruins at the end of the first set. The set began with three service errors in the first four serves. The teams then traded leads for the opening points before a 9-1 run gave control of the game to L&C. The Otts built on that lead and looked to be coasting to a victory as they held a 23-17 lead.
Then, the Bruins struck back. One of their best stretches of the season began with a block by
Jordan Hahn and
Gracie Bearden. Back-to-back River Otter attack errors quickly turned into more GFU points: four different players (Bearden,
Eden Cha,
Makena Phillips, and Hahn) recorded kills on passes as Fox stormed back to take the lead, 24-23. The Bruins capped off the 8-0 lead to close the game with a victory on an attack error. Against all odds, GFU led, 1-0.
The second set wouldn't have the same fortune for the Bruins. Fox totaled just eight kills in the frame, six less than their 14 in set one. Cha had back-to-back service aces early on, and
Audrey Schmitt had some late kills, but when all was said and done, Lewis & Clark was back in the game with a 25-19 set two win — using a 6-0 run late to seal the deal.
After two sets where massive runs swayed the games wildly, the opening of the third set was mildly tame, at least statistically. Neither team could rattle off more than three straight points for the majority of the set as the teams battled.
Isabella Avila had the highlight of the early stages of the set, using a bounce off the ceiling to record just her second kill of the season (fifth in her collegiate career), to knot the game up at 10.
Down 21-18, the Bruins did it again — breaking through the even scoring to score seven of the final eight points in another comeback victory. The first two points of the rally were on River Otter errors, but a Bearden ace tied the game up.
Chloe Wiersma found
Eden Cha for the final kill to put the game to rest, as the 7-1 run put GFU on top, 25-22.
This time around, L&C weathered any Fox runs to force a fifth set. Opening runs from the Otts put GFU down early, 6-2. Once again, George Fox bounced back, this time relying on
Madelyn Gunn; the freshman notched back-to-back kills before a Schmitt kill tied the game up at 14. A kill from
Jordan Hahn was the final move of the set for Fox as L&C prolonged the game with a 25-20 victory.
Fox: How close the first four sets were, the pivotal fifth was anything but. Chas got things going for the Bruins before
Addison Goff got in on the action, putting GFU up 3-2. Fox's final meaningful run of the game may have been small, but it did leave an impact. The 4-0 split featured two aces from Bearden and a block from Schmitt and Cha to balloon a 3-3 deadlock to a 7-3 lead.
Following that moment, the game wasn't in question. Though the River Otters fought hard, there was nothing they could do.
Kendall Stidham's set was brought down hard by Phillips, and Stidham found Goff for the final points of the game: 15-8, Bruins.
Top Performances
Eden Cha had her second career double-double — ironically, her one prior came in the Bruins' last victory — recording a team-high 16 kills and 13 digs, as well as four aces and three blocks.
Gracie Bearden also had a double-double, pulling in 15 digs and knocking down 11 kills.
Isabella Avila led the team with 19 digs, while
Chloe Wiersma had 23 assists.
What It Means
The Bruins win their first NWC game of the season and snap a nine-game losing streak, moving to 3-11 (1-6 NWC). Lewis & Clark, meanwhile, won their first sets in over a calendar year, but slipped to 4-10 1-6 NWC).
What Happens Next
Fox will host a game for the first time in a little under one two weeks, welcoming the Pacific Boxers (1-12, 0-6 NWC) to Newberg on Homecoming and Family Weekend. Live stream and live stats information is located on the GFU website for the game, which is schedule to begin at 7:00 pm.v
