SPOKANE, Wash. – Fifteenth-ranked Pacific Lutheran defeated Whitworth in five sets on Saturday night with scores of 25-18, 15-25, 19-25, 25-20 and 15-11. The Lutes' seventh consecutive victory improves their record to 10-4 overall and 6-0 in conference play.

Junior Amy Wooten led the Lute attack with 13 kills and 5 errors in 38 attempts. Lucy Capron added 10 kills, while Haley Urdahl tallied nine. PLU setter Samantha North contributed 38 assists, while libero Amber Aguiar accounted for 35 digs.

For the Pirates, Jalana White posted an impressive 23 kills with eight errors in 61 attempts. Kristine Kardell and Nicole Leonard combined to add 28 kills, 13 and 15 respectively. Maddye Dinsmore contributed 53 assists, while Whitney Santos led with 28 digs.

The Lutes quickly took the first seven points to begin the first set and would never relinquish the lead. Whitworth put up a 12-point effort over the next 19 points to come within two points with a score of 12-14, but PLU ultimately locked down the set victory 25-18.

Whitworth stormed into the second set, accounting for 20 of the first 30 points. PLU attempted to rally back, tallying seven of the next 11 but fell short as the Pirates closed it out with the final three points to take the second set 25-15.

The third set was tightly contested as both teams battled to take ownership of the match lead. Following a 6-6 tie, Whitworth pulled ahead and the Lutes were never able to recover. With the Pirates in possession of match-point advantage with a score of 24-17, PLU was able to hold off the defeat for two points before taking the set loss 19-25.

The Lutes refused to go down easily in the fourth set, jumping to a five-point advantage with a 16-11 score. However, Whitworth wasn't willing to give up the fight on their end either, rallying to come within one point with the score at 16-17. That would be as far as the Pirates' charge would take them as PLU pushed a fifth set with a 25-20 fourth set victory.

Pacific Lutheran wasted no time in the fifth set, taking a rapid 13-5 lead. Regaining some momentum, Whitworth rallied for five of the next six points but the charge came too late. The Lutes closed out the match with a 15-10 final set victory.

The Lutes return home next weekend, hosting George Fox on Friday and Lewis & Clark on Saturday. Both games begin at 7pm on Olson Auditorium's Names Family Court.