Pirates pass first conference road test
The Whitworth football team extended its still-perfect season for yet another week in a win against the Boxers of Pacific University on Saturday, 28-25. The Pirates advance to 5-0, already exceeding the total victories from last season.
Sophomore quarterback Bryan Peterson had a standout performance, passing for a career-high 354 yards, including three touchdown passes. Senior wide receiver Jake DeGooyer led the Bucs with eight receptions and a touchdown on the day.
Senior running back Ronnie Thomas was again an integral force for Whitworth, rushing for 134 yards and a touchdown.
Sophomore linebacker Nic Brockhoff had eight tackles and sophomore defensive back Paul Miller had seven tackles to lead the Pirate defense.
The Bucs are back at the Pine Bowl this Saturday for homecoming, taking on the 4-0 Willamette Bearcats.
Women’s cross country places ninth in Oregon
The women’s cross country squad came home with a ninth-place finish at the 38th Annual Charles Bowles Invitational hosted by Willamette University on Saturday. This finish also gave the Bucs a third place finish out of six NWC teams in the event.
Sophomore Christina Anderson (18:49.10) and junior Elisabeth Spencer (18:50.54) were the first Pirates to cross the line in the 5k race, coming in at 20th and 21st out of a field of more than 200 runners.
Although the Bucs finished behind NWC rivals Willamette (6th) and Linfield (7th), they managed to come in ahead of Whitman (14th), George Fox (19th) and University of Puget Sound (20th).
The Pirates have a weekend off, but will return to competition Oct. 13 at the Inland Northwest Challenge in Lewiston, Idaho.
Volleyball falters in NWC road matches
Whitworth traveled to Oregon to play the Lewis & Clark Pioneers and George Fox Bruins last Friday, falling to both teams in three sets.
The Pirates kept the first set close against Lewis & Clark until midway through the game when the Pioneers took control and pulled away from a 10-10 tie, going on to win 25-16. Lewis & Clark kept the momentum during the second and third sets with 25-21 and 25-18 victories to earn the win.
The Bucs faced George Fox on Saturday. GFU won the first set 25-18, but Whitworth came out strong in the second set and took an early lead. The Bruins came back from behind quickly and went on to win the second game 25-17.
After five ties and one lead change in the third set the Bruins ended the match with a 25-20 set victory.
Whitworth was led in the two games by junior outside hitter Jalana White with 18 digs and 23 kills, freshman outside hitter Nicole Leonard with 14 kills and 22 digs.
Whitworth will take on Linfield and Pacific Oct. 4 and 5 at 7 pm in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.