FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- After four incredibly tight sets, the George Fox Women's volleyball team was able to hold off Pacific to win the night and end the season with a 3-1 victory.
How It Happened
The first set of the match set the tone for the rest of the night, featuring back-and-forth runs by Bruin and Boxer alike. Bruin
Eden Cha drew the first blood of the match, giving the team early momentum. George Fox freshman
Audrey Schmitt attacked early as well, smashing a kill dead center of the court, putting the Bruins at 4-2.
Bruins found a four-point run, including an ace by
Kendall Stidham, in an attempt to pull away from Pacific, but the Boxers were resilient and answered with a three-point run; Makenna Ennes recorded an ace for Pacific in the process. However, Fox pressure made another run of four, with Cha notching two aces in the process and bringing the score to 11-5.
Again, the Boxers surged with a large run after attack errors by Fox opened the door for a tight game with the Bruins just barely ahead 13-12. The two teams consistently racked up kills and fought hard to keep the other from pressing the advantage. Eventually Fox made the break and won the set with a kill from Cha and a setting error by the Boxers, 25-20.
Tensions were high moving into the second set when Boxer Isabelle Darnell made the first kill. Cha sprang the counterattack after a dime set by
Chloe Wiersma paved the way for an equalizer kill. Pacific responded with a three-point run, temporarily gaining a lead of 4-1 just before a kill by Schmitt lent Fox the momentum they needed to make a five-point comeback run, 6-4.
Battling it out for every point, the Boxers found leads in large runs only for the Bruins to match them just moments later. George Fox's
Addison Goff,
Jordan Hahn, and Schmitt each had advantage-giving kills, but the Boxer vengeance found just a few more points in the last four points of the set, including a lightning-fast kill by Pacific's Emma Velcheck to end at 25-22.
The third set was filled with another scrappy battle. Bruin and Boxer went tit-for-tat, exchanging runs until the very end. Following a Pacific run, Goff promptly put the ball back in Bruin hands with a kill that tied the game at 23-23. A bad set gave Fox another point, but Velcheck likewise made a kill to tie the game at 24-24. After another few errors, Cha ended the intense set at a gritty 27-25 for the Bruins.
Pressure settled on the court as George Fox and Pacific once again battled it out in a tight, tight fourth set. However, Bruin kills by Schmitt and Cha became prolific mid-game and slowly pulled the Bruins into a lead of 22-16. Just when it seemed the outcome had been determined, Pacific pulled off a five-point run led by kills from Velcheck and Darnell. Fox did not shy away from the challenge, and kills by Goff and
Gracie Bearden gave the George Fox team a hard-fought win, 25-22.
Top Performances
Eden Cha led the Bruin attack with a double-double, finishing with 15 kills and 15 digs.
Audrey Schmitt recorded eight kills, while
Jordan Hahn finished with seven.
Gracie Bearden ended her career with five kills and 16 digs while
Isabella Avila found 13 digs for the Bruins.
Chloe Wiersma led the team with 20 assists, while Hahn had five blocks.
Coach's Thoughts
"Really grateful to end the season with a win," George Fox head coach
Emily Davis said, "it was a tough-fought match. Proud of our team and their improvement this year.
What It Means
George Fox now moves to 8-15 (6-10 NWC), while Pacific falls to 2-21 (1-15 NWC) after an intense match.
What Happens Next
This concludes the George Fox Women's volleyball season. The Bruins, who ended the year on a three-game win streak, will be back for the 2027 season.
