Grant Lucas – Sports editor. After falling to No. 13 nationally ranked Pacific Lutheran University in straight sets Sept. 25, Linfield volleyball bounced back for a win against Pacific University in a five-set thriller Sept. 26. Willamette, however, took the Wildcats by force with help from Bearcat senior Jessie McGraw on Sept. 30.
The ’Cats fall to 6-6 overall and 3-2 in Northwest Conference play, sliding to fourth place in the NWC.
PLU jumped on the Wildcats early in the first set Sept. 25, rolling past Linfield easily. The Lutes continued to dominate the rest of the night.
The Wildcats started things right against Pacific on Sept. 26, taking a 13-10 lead. After the Boxers tied it at 17, Pacific went on a 5-1 streak to take the set.
Pacific cruised in the second set, jumping out to a 13-2 advantage and a win.
Linfield responded in the third and fourth sets with clutch plays from seniors Emily Vuylsteke and Stephanie Purser while also capitalizing on Boxer errors.
Vuylsteke led the Wildcats with 13 kills in the fifth set, lifting Linfield to victory.
Although Smith totaled 11 kills and sophomore Emily Carpenter recorded 20 assists, Linfield was unable to hold off Willamette as the Bearcats won in four sets.
McGraw finished the match with 16 kills as Willamette moved up to sixth place in the conference.
Next up for the Wildcats is a home-court matchup against George Fox University on Oct. 2.