TONIGHT: The Pacific Lutheran University volleyball team takes on the St. Martin's University Saints in a non-conference match up tonight in Olson Gym. Tonight's match against NCAA Division II SMU marks the first of a home-and-home series between the two programs this season. Sitting at 10-2 on the season, Pacific Lutheran has won seven of its last eight matches. In those seven wins, the Lutes have not dropped a set. St. Martin's comes into the match with a 3-8 record on the season. Last Saturday, the Saints dropped a 3-0 decision to Seattle Pacific University in conference play. Tonight's match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
NWC PLAY CONTINUES THIS WEEK: Tonight's match will give the Lutes a break from their busy Northwest Conference schedule. However, NWC play resumes for the Lutes this weekend as PLU will travel to eastern Washington to face Whitman College and conference favorite Whitworth University. With a 3-1 record in NWC action, the Lutes sit in a second place tie with the University of Puget Sound.
SCOUTING THE SAINTS: At 3-8 on the season, SMU has struggled to find consistency in 2011. The saints currently sit in eighth place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Freshman Kristyn Ross leads the SMU attack in her first season with the team. The outside hitter is averaging 3.72 kills per set which ranks her fourth among all GNAC players. Senior libero Brianna Bautista leads the team with 4.03 digs per set.
SERIES HISTORY: Tonight's match will be the 36th between the two programs with the series dating back to 1988. PLU holds a 21-14 advantage in the series but over the past four seasons, the series is split at three games apiece. The Lutes most successful stretch against the Saint's came between the 1992 and 1996 seasons. During that period, the Lutes did not drop a match going 10-0 over those five seasons. Currently, SMU is on a two-match win streak over the Lutes.
PLU 3, GEORGE FOX 0: After finding itself on the wrong end of a net dominance in a Wednesday night loss to rival Puget Sound, the Pacific Lutheran Lutes were the dominant team at the net Saturday night in a three-set sweep of the host George Fox Bruins. The Lutes, ranked No. 19 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III Top 25 poll, improved to 10-2 overall and 3-1 in the conference with a 25-16, 25-16, 25-14 thumping of the Bruins. George Fox is now 6-7 overall and 1-3 in the NWC. Senior middle blocker Erin Bremond had a big night for the Lutes with 12 kills, a .545 attack percentage and 11 block assists. Bremond led the Lutes to a .260 overall attack percentage in the match, and she teamed with other PLU front row players for 16 total team blocks coming on 32 block assists. That impressive blocking number played a big role in George Fox finishing with 32 block errors against just 28 kills, accounting for a -.032 attack percentage. Joining Bremond in throwing up a stone wall against the Bruins were Samantha North with six block assists and three more players - Missy DeWalt, Bethany Huston and Amy Wooten - with three apiece. North led both teams with 24 assists, Kelsie Moore added 11 kills, and Blair Bjorkman had a team-best 12 digs for PLU. Moore had five kills and Bremond added four more as the Lutes rolled to the first set victory by pulling away from an early 8-6 lead. The second set started out all George Fox as the Bruins delighted the home crowd by scoring the first five points on Mackenzie Teigen's serve. The Bruins still held a 14-10 lead when the Lutes took over at the net. They tied the game at 15-15 on a kill by Moore and then took the lead for good at 17-16 on Bremond's finish. PLU finished out the set with Moore serving. First, she added a point with a back row kill, and then the Bruins committed seven consecutive attack errors. Of those seven, five resulted from PLU blocks, with Bremond getting an assist on every one. The third set was never really close as the Lutes won their third conference match in straight sets. The dominant performance allowed PLU head coach Kevin Aoki to clear his bench. All 18 players on the Lutes' deep roster saw action in the match.
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