Facing the first two of eight consecutive nationally ranked
opponents in tournament action, the No. 13-ranked Pacific Lutheran
Lutes defeated St. Benedict (Minn.) and rival Puget Sound in
three sets in Friday's first day of the Puget Sound Premier
Tournament at the UPS Fieldhouse.
The Lutes opened their tournament play with a 25-22, 25-22,
25-22 win over No. 10-ranked St. Benedict, and then came back a
short time later to easily dispose of the No. 19-ranked
and host Loggers, 25-10, 25-19, 25-19.
PLU 3, St. Benedict 0 / Box Score
The Blazers led only once in the first set, that coming at 8-7
on Beth Hanson's service ace. The Lutes responded with a 5-0 run,
including a pair of kills from Kelsie Moore, to take a lead they
would not relinquish. St. Benedict managed to pull to within one
point at 22-21, but the Lutes held on with Beth Hanna recording a
pair of kills down the stretch.
In the early part of the second set, St. Benedict showed why it
is ranked No. 10 in the country, racing out to a 6-0 lead. The
Blazers led 15-10 when the Lutes started a rally that tied the
score at 17-17. PLU took its first lead of the set at 20-19 on a
St. Benedict attack error, and kills by Moore, Kelcy Joynt and
Anella Olbertz gave the Lutes a 2-0 lead.
The third set was a repeat of the first as the two teams battled
on nearly even terms throughout. St. Benedict again led only once
at 4-3, the Lutes surged to a 10-6 lead, and eventually the score
was tied at 18-18. Katy Tauscher's kill put the Lutes in front for
good and Hanna finished the match with her final kill.
Hanna, the Lutes' All-America junior outside hitter, finished
with a match-high 13 kills in addition to 10 digs. Moore added 10
kills for the Lutes, while Sarah Beaver contributed 33 assists and
Brenna Archibald 12 digs.
PLU 3, Puget Sound 0 / Box Score
The Lutes jumped on the 19th-ranked Loggers with a blistering
first set attack, and they never let up.
PLU broke away from a 5-5 first-set tie to take a 12-9 lead.
Beth Hanna recorded a kill to get the serve back to the Lutes, and
they scored 10 consecutive points on Beaver's serve. Olbertz had a
pair of kills and Beaver added two service aces during the run.
Olbertz got another kill to end the first set in convincing fashion
for the Lutes.
The second set was close until the Lutes broke away from an 8-8
tie with six straight service points, including two aces, from
Brenna Archibald. From that point on, PLU never led by less than
four points until Moore finished the set with a kill.
PLU again looked sharp in the third set, and save for a late run
by the Loggers, the final victory margin would have been even
bigger for the Lutes. PLU scored 15 of its first 20 points on
kills, including six by Hanna and three each by Erin Bremond and
Tauscher. A total of five different players contributed kills
during that streak.
Trailing 22-10, Puget Sound rallied back to pull within four
point at 23-19, but a service error and attack error by the Loggers
finished the match.
Hanna recorded 13 kills for the second consecutive match, and
she also led all players with 15 digs. Moore added nine kills and
13 digs, Beaver had 33 assists and two aces, and Archibald
contributed 14 digs and four aces.
Pacific Lutheran, now 3-0 this season, takes on No. 25-ranked
Simpson (Iowa) at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Lutes' final opponent, and
the start time of the match, will be determined following that
contest.
- PLU -
