LAS VEGAS - For the second consecutive day, the Pacific volleyball team rallied from two sets down to force a fifth set, but flipped the script Saturday with a 19-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-17,15-13 victory over Northwestern at the Rebel Challenge Tournament.
 
Graduate outside hitter Alexa Edwards led both teams with 17 kills on the day, while going for her second double-double in digs and kills. On the defensive end, she notched 11 digs on the afternoon.
 
Senior setter Jenna Heller collected 35 assists for the Tigers (1-1), while going for her own double-double in assists and digs, also recording 11 digs.
 
The Tigers took advantage of 12 Wildcat (0-2) service errors throughout the match, while collecting nine aces of their own. Junior libero Jayhlin Swain and sophomore setter Dylan Gilkey compiled three aces each, while graduate outside hitter Darina Kumanova added another two of her own.
 
As a unit, the Tiger defense posted nine blocks to Northwestern's six, with graduate middle blocker Margherita Giani leading the way with five, including one solo block. Edwards and junior middle blocker Emily Van Groningen grabbed four blocks, while Swain punctuated the defense with a team-leading 17 digs. Van Groningen led both squads with two solo blocks.
 
Both teams hit similarly on the day, with the Tigers posting .235 on 162 attempts and 57 kills to Northwestern's .236 on 161 attempts and 64 kills. Pacific's biggest advantage came in blocking and Wildcat errors, which gave the Tigers the extra push to nab their first win of the season. The Tigers move to 10-2 over the Wildcats in the all-time series. 
 
The Tigers and Wildcats opened the first set on even footing before Northwestern went on a run to go up by eight. While Pacific narrowed the gap to five behind a kill by Heller and Wildcat error, Northwestern rattled off the remaining three points to clinch the first set.
 
Pacific flipped the script in the second, jumping out to their own lead at the start of the set. Leading by as many as six, the Wildcats chipped away at Pacific's lead before back-to-back aces from Gilkey pushed the Tigers up 19-16. Northwestern grabbed the tie at 20 before ending the second set on a 5-2 run.
 
Once more in a set of runs, the crucial third set saw an early lead for Pacific before Northwestern gave its rebuttal. The Wildcats led 23-21, but the Tigers forced the fourth set off a 4-0 run, kick started by a kill from Edwards.
 
The Tigers took firm control over the fourth set, leading by as many as eight before forcing a fifth set 25-17.
 
The tug-of-war between the two teams returned in the final set before the Wildcats went up 9-6. The Tigers rattled a 6-2 run to reclaim the lead, taking advantage of three Wildcat errors. Freshman opposite Alyson Cox grabbed a kill to push the Tigers up 13-12 to break the tie, giving Pacific the momentum it needed to grab its first win of the season 15-13.
 
Pacific closes out its weekend in Vegas meeting Rebel Challenge Tournament host UNLV at 1 p.m. at Cox Pavilion.
 
Stay Social
For all the latest on Pacific Volleyball, be sure to follow the team on X (@PacificVball), Instagram (@pacificvolleyball) and Facebook page (Pacific Volleyball).
 
#PacificProud