News Release Date:
Friday, November 7

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Middle blockers Emily Vuylsteke and Kelsey Habura combined to hammer 18 kills with just three attack errors to power Linfield College to a 3-0 victory (25-13, 25-22, 25-13) over Whitman College Friday night in Sherwood Center.

Alex Graves

Breanne Robirds

Linfield solidified its hold on fourth place in the Northwest Conference, improving to 9-6 in league and 13-6 overall.

Whitman, which played its season without a senior on its roster, ended its fall campaign with records of 3-13 and 3-22. Linfield has now won five straight matches and wraps up its season Saturday (7 p.m.) at Whitworth University in Spokane.

Alex Graves and Breanne Robirds, the only juniors on the Missionary roster, led Whitman's attack with 17 and nine kills, respectively. 

Linfield used an 8-1 run early in game one to grab a 12-4 lead. After Whitman closed to 13-9 on a Robirds kill, the Wildcats tallied the next four points to pull away and coast home for a quick win.

Whitman countered by scoring the first four points of game two, getting two kills from Graves and one from Robirds, followed by a Katie Richards service ace. Vuylsteke's kill evened the count at 7-7 before a Missionary attack error handed the visitors a one-point lead.

Whitman regained command when kills by Jessica Brice and Graves sparked a 6-0 spurt that gave the home team a 13-8 lead. Katie Miller chipped in with a service ace and Brice teamed with Graves and Richards for back-to-back blocks at the net. After Linfield rallied to within 13-12, three consecutive kills by Graves and one by Robirds had Whitman back in front by five.

Kelsie Butts

With Whitman up 19-15, Linfield reeled off seven of the next eight points to move in front 22-20. Tara Hill and Vuylsteke fueled the run with two kills apiece. Two kills by Graves evened the score at 22, but Linfield finished its come-from-behind win with kills by Stephanie Purser and Habura, followed by a Whitman attack error.

With a 2-0 lead in games, Linfield jumped in front 5-1 and 13-3 to start game three. Whitman drew no closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

Vuylsteke, who had just one attack error in the middle, hit .474 for the match. Habura was almost as efficient with a .375 hitting percentage. Purser had 30 assists for the Wildcats while Megan Flink and Hill keyed the back-row defense with 12 and 11 digs, respectively.

Richards handed out 31 assists for Whitman. Kelsie Butts had a match-high 17 digs for the Missionaries, who also got 11 digs from Miller. Both Richards and Brice had three block assists. 

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CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
509 527-5902; holden@whitman.edu