Knights Spikers Fall to Northwest
BOX SCORE
Errors Costly as Eagles Slip Past Knights 3-1
PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Warner Pacific Knights dropped a hard-fought 3-1 match to the Northwest University Eagles Friday night, 22-25, 27-29, 26-24, 18-25. Warner Pacific falls to 4-3 (2-3 Cascade Collegiate Conference) while Northwest improves to 4-8 (1-4).
After falling behind 15-12 midway through the first set, the Eagles took control by scoring five straight points and never looking back to take the 25-22 win. The second set played out much like the first, with neither team able to pull away or take a lead greater than three points. Down 18-21 late, the Knights battled back to tie it at 23 before falling victim to three consecutive service errors over the final nine points as the Eagles escaped with a 29-27 win.
The Knights showed their resiliency in more ways than one in the third set, fighting back from the 0-2 deficit to win 26-24 and also holding their nerve as Warner Pacific jumped out to an early 9-1 lead in the set only to see the pesky Eagles cut it to 11-10. After the Knights regained control late to take a commanding 24-19 lead, the Eagles stormed back to tie it at 24 before the Knights tallied the last two points to take the win. The Knights comeback efforts were stifled in the final set as Northwest hit .368 en route to the 25-18 win.
For the Knights, Kara Veach and Leah Gradwohl both recorded double-doubles with game highs of 15 kills each and with Gradwohl adding a game-high 27 digs and Veach tacking on 11. Megan Marineau added 11 kills and four blocks, while Molly Webb added 11 digs. Samantha Kolakowski contributed 41 assists.
Anu Akimine paced the Eagles with 14 kills and 14 digs, with Alisha Larion adding 10 kills. Defensively, Lauren Holtz had 24 digs and Andrea Cotton added 19. Libby Helwig had 25 assists as the Eagles hit .138 as a team.
The Knights return to action tomorrow night, September 20, for a 7:00 CCC conference match versus Evergreen State at CC Perry Gymnasium on the Warner Pacific campus.