PARKLAND - Pacific Lutheran opened defense of its Northwest Conference volleyball title on Friday night with a 25-17, 22-25, 25-22, 25-18 victory over the stubborn Whitworth Pirates in Olson Auditorium.

The win was Pacific Lutheran's 30th consecutive in conference play dating back to the 2008 season. It also gave the Lutes a 7-3 overall record this year, while leaving Whitworth with a 3-5 overall record and a 0-1 mark in the conference. The match was played in front of an enthusiastic and boisterous crowd estimated at 700.

The Lutes, who have won four straight NWC crowns, got off to a strong start in the first set and were on the brink of taking a 2-0 lead before the Pirates rallied with nine straight points to win the second set. The third set offered some of the same drama as the Pirates came back from a 21-16 deficit before finally falling, and PLU finally showed its strength by closing out the match in the fourth set.

The Lutes trailed only once in the first set, that coming at 3-2 on a PLU attack error. The Lutes regained the lead at 5-4 on Kelsie Moore's kill, one her six in the set, and they gradually pulled away for the win.

The second set was tied when the Lutes went on a four-point run to take an 18-14 lead. Anna Buck's service ace made it 22-16, and the second set seemed in the bag for the hosts. Setter Bree Riddle scored a kill to stop the run, and Amanda Grumbach ended up serving out the set for the Pirates. She contributed a service ace, Kaimi Rocha had a pair of kills, and the Lutes helped with four attack errors.

PLU trailed briefly in the third set, the last time at 7-6, before gaining control behind Moore's five kills. The Lutes led 21-16 when Whitworth rallied with three points, but the set came to an end on a kill by Missy DeWalt.

Moore continued her outstanding play in the fourth set with five more kills, giving her a math-high 18 to go along witha .326 attack percentage. Whitworth led only once in this set, again early at 4-3 on Jordon Hoffnagle's service ace. The score was tied at 12-12 when the Lutes took the lead for good on Erin Bremond's kill. It was up to Moore to finish the match with her 18th kill.

Joining Moore in double figures in kills for the Lutes was Beth Hanna, who finished with 12 and a .290 attack percentage. Bremond chipped in nine kills, Sarah Beaver had 34 assists and Blair Bjorkman led all players with 20 digs. The Lutes hit .262 as a team.

Whitworth got 17 kills and 16 digs from Kaimi Rocha, 10 kills from Grumbach, 42 assists from Riddle and 17 digs from Hoffnagle. The Pirate hit .217 as a team.

PLU returns to action at 5 p.m. Saturday when it hosts the Whitman Missionaries in another Northwest Conference contest at Olson Auditorium.

- PLU -