Vancouver, Wash. — Clark College showed grit and defensive toughness, but Clackamas' offensive firepower proved too much as the Penguins dropped a 3–0 decision (25-17, 27-25, 25-18) in Northwest Athletic Conference play Wednesday evening.
The Penguins (5-13, 1-4 NWAC) pushed the Cougars (10-4, 4-1) to the brink in the second set, taking the lead multiple times in a back-and-forth battle that featured seven ties. Despite the surge, Clackamas closed out the frame 27-25 before sealing the sweep.
Clark's defense kept them in the match, highlighted by Emelynn Cecil's 20 digs, a match-high. At the net, Kylie Miller was dominant with seven kills on .316 hitting and a team-leading six blocks, while Mia Hicks-Oliver added seven kills and three blocks. Abigail Heberle chipped in seven kills and played a key role in the second set rally.
Setter Taylee Wilson paced the offense with 22 assists and added a service ace, while Kim Saechao contributed 3 digs and an ace from the back row.
As a team, Clark totaled nine blocks and 42 digs, matching Clackamas in stretches of defensive intensity. But the Cougars' balanced attack, led by Jasmine Broberg's 22 kills, made the difference.
Despite the loss, head coach and players pointed to the second set as evidence of Clark's growth and ability to compete with the NWAC's top teams. The Penguins will look to carry that fight into their next matchup as they continue league play at home versus Chemeketa at 6pm on Friday.
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