The Loggers continued on their trail to the postseason against the Whitworth Pirates. Coming in with an eight match unbeaten streak, the Loggers looked to cement their winning ways after a dramatic three to two victory of crosstown rivals Pacific Lutheran University (PLU). They did just that with a somewhat shaky 3-1 victory over the Pirates.
The first set was full of streaks for both teams, but the Loggers looked in bad shape with their total number of errors equaling the number of kills they earned in the set. The Pirates burst out to take the opening six of the first eight points. The Loggers, showing the dogged resilience that they have taken matches with lately, rallied back with four points of their own and a run of five after that to take the score within three points of the Pirates at 11-14. Whitworth pulled out ahead at 21-16, preventing any Logger comeback as the two teams traded points until the Pirates closed the game at 25-20.
The second set was a constant debate between the two teams, with a total of ten high scores throughout the game. The teams traded point for point and scored a total of 20 points combined before any team pulled ahead. The Pirates looked to break the deadlock, running off four straight points to take the lead. Sensing a change of pace, the Loggers called a time-out to make sure this game didn’t get away from them like the first one. The Loggers then came storming out, scoring seven of eight points to pull ahead at 18-16. The set seemed to draw to a deadlock again, as the Pirates battled back to even the set at 22 a piece. The set ground on, both teams trading points, until the Loggers strung together a Pirates attacking error and a hard fought point to take the set at 26-24.
The players looked to be settling in for a long night as the third set seemed a mirror image of the second. Teams traded points until the Loggers strung together a small lead at 11-8 with senior Jenni Brehove (Vista, Calif.) scoring an ace to put the home team out front. The Pirates sensed danger and took a time-out to see if they could keep themselves in the game. The tactic proved successful, as they rolled off four straight to take the lead at 12-11. Time-outs seemed to be a theme of this match, as the Loggers took one of their own and went on a blistering five to one run to take the lead at 16-13. The game ground on, seeing the teams trade point for point, until the Loggers capitalized on an attack error and a venomous kill from senior Jackie Harvey (Santa Barbara, Calif.) to take the game at 28-26.
The third set saw more dramatic action with a total of 16 tied scores and eight lead changes. Uncharacteristic of the night, the Pirates jumped out to an early lead at seven to two, which prompted a Logger time-out. Continuing the trend of bursting out of time-outs, the Loggers surged back with a five to zero run to tie the match at seven all. Whitworth tried to pull out ahead again, but senior Marissa Florant (Palo Alto, Calif.) served seven straight points to bring the Logger lead to 14-10. The Pirates looked to draw level at 14, but the home team continued to surge, putting themselves ahead with a five to one run and taking the lead at 19-14. The Loggers continued to press their advantage, pulling ahead to 23-18 and regaining service after sophomore Danielle Westerman (San Francisco, Calif.) thumped home a kill to bring the final point within reach. The Pirates looked to fight back but the Logger defense of Brehove and junior Nicolette Reynaud (Los Gatos, Calif.) forced an attacking error that ended the match at 25-18 for the Loggers.
Three Loggers had big nights in this victory, with three double-doubles from the home team. Florant picked up 18 digs and 14 kills, Harvey ran up 17 digs and 12 kills and Brehove turned up with 12 digs and an impressive 46 assists.
Senior night on Nov. 2 marks the last night at home for the Loggers. They will face off against Whitman at 6:00 p.m. in the Memorial Field House.
