The Pioneer volleyball team closed out their season with a 30-24, 30-22, 30-21 loss to the Whitman Missionaries Saturday night in Walla Walla. Katherine Fiedler had nine kills and four blocks for the Pioneers.

In game one, the Missionaries opened up a 5-5 game, winning four straight points, including a pair of kills by Katie Richards. The Pioneers, down 17-11, came up with four straight points of their own to make it a three point game, 17-14. The Pioneers, helped by kills by Cayley Rassmussen (freshman, San Diego, Calif.) and Katherine Fiedler (freshman, San Diego, Calif.) pulled within two, 22-20, but Whitman closed out the game outscoring the Pioneers 8-2 down the stretch with a Lydia Hayes service ace cementing the 30-24 victory.

In game two, the Missionaries built a healthy six-point lead, 17-11, on a kill by Rosa Brey before the Pioneers mounted a comeback. Katherine Fiedler got the Pioneers a side out, giving the serve to Jessamy Holland (sophomore, Honolulu, Hawaii). Holland began her service with an ace, leading the Pioneers to within one, 17-16, before a kill by Leslie Compean gave the ball and control of the game back to Whitman. The Missionaries held on for a 30-22 victory.

In game three, Whitman took control of the match from the start, scoring the first four points, including two kills by Rosa Brey. The Pioneers took advantage of five Whitman errors to keep the match close, 9-6, but the Missionaries managed to extend their lead and never lead by less than five from the 15-10 mark through the 30-21 conclusion.

Whitman's Rosa Brey had a match-high 19 kills on 43 attacks. Leslie Compean had 10 kills on 27 attacks.

For the Pioneers, Katherine Fielder had nine kills with four blocks (two solo, two assisted). 

With the victory, Whitman closes out their season with a 13-11 overall mark, 9-7 in the  NWC. The Pioneers finish with nine wins, a 9-17 overall record and a 5-11 Conference record, tying them for seventh place in the NWC standings.