George Fox University

TACOMA, Wash. -- The George Fox women's volleyball team played Puget Sound, losing 3-0 to one of the NWC favorites despite close scores in two of the three sets.

How it Happened
The Loggers, who entered the game receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll, took the first point, but a service error quickly put the Bruins on the board. Fox grabbed eight of the next 10 points, featuring kills by Makena Phillips, Gracie Bearden, Jordan Hahn, and Addison Goff, alongside both a service ace and a block by Eden Cha, giving the Bruins a 10-4 edge. Puget Sound fired off three points in a row; Fox responded with four of their own—thanks to Bearden and Isabella Avila—to make the score 15-9 in their favor. 

The Loggers started to find their footing, taking five of the next nine exchanges, with kills by Cha keeping Fox ahead, 18-15. A seven-point run saw Puget Sound take command, 22-18. It looked like Fox might be able to come back from their deficit; a block by Bearden and kills by Goff and Audrey Schmitt cut the Loggers' lead to a tight 24-22. Despite their early advantage, however, Fox dropped the first set, falling 25-22 to Puget Sound.

Set two began well thanks to a service ace by Chloe Wiersma. Fox and Puget Sound traded points, with a kill by Audrey Schmitt keeping the scores close. The Loggers then ran up three points in a row, taking the upper hand, 4-2. In the ensuing back-and-forth battle, Cha racked up two kills, but the Loggers began to pull away, 13-5. 

The Loggers' seven-point run was stalled by a kill by Hahn. Undeterred, Puget Sound rattled off six more points, with a kill by Madelyn Gunn in the middle of the run, making the score 20-7. A service error and bad set from the Loggers handed two points to Fox, followed by a kill by Goff, 21-10. Cha, Bearden, and Schmitt each earned a kill to keep the Bruins alive, but their three-point run couldn't stop the Loggers from taking the second set, 25-13.

Schmitt got the first kill of the set for the Bruins, but the Loggers seized the majority of the early points, leading 5-2. The Bruins began to climb back; kills by Makena Phillips and Goff and a block by Phillips tied the score, 6-6. In response, the Loggers notched a cool six-point run, including four consecutive service aces by senior Samantha Keightley. 

The momentum started to shift—the Bruins rallied from a 14-7 deficit, running up five points of their own, with a service ace by Cha. The Loggers tried to quell Fox's attempts, but a five-point run put the Bruins up, 17-16. George Fox kept pulling ahead, achieving another three-point run with an ace by Cha, 23-20. Unfortunately, Puget Sound notched four more points, tying the game up, 24-24. Both teams inched forward, but the Loggers ultimately claimed the victory, 27-25.

Top Performances
Eden Cha led the team with eight kills, followed by Audrey Schmitt with five. Cha also collected two service aces; Chloe Wiersma and Madelyn Gunn notched one ace each. Kendall Stidham and Wiersma put up 16 and 15 assists respectively. Makena Phillips and Gracie Bearden both completed two blocks. Bearden had the most digs at 10, closely trailed by Cha with nine and Wiersma with seven.

Coach's Thoughts
"We are getting better every match," Bruin head coach Emily Davis said, "the wins will come!"

What it Means
The Bruins slip to 2-8 (0-3 NWC) and the Loggers rise to 5-5 (2-0 NWC). After starting the year 0-5, the Loggers have won 15 straight sets, including a sweep over No. 11 La Verne.

What Happens Next
George Fox will be back in action on Friday, September 22 in Newberg, Ore. against the Linfield Wildcats (4-5, 1-1 NWC). The home game is set to begin at 7:00 pm.