By Maddie Bernard, PLU Sports Information Student Writer

WALLA WALLA – The Pacific Lutheran volleyball team bounced back from Friday's defeat to improve to 6-4 in Northwest Conference play after the Lutes defeated Whitman Saturday in a four-set match with scores of 22-25, 25-22, 25-19, and 25-20.

"We played well tonight, and had players making plays at the right time," PLU head coach Kevin Aoki said.

Senior middle blocker Michaela Edgers tied a career high with 13 kills and tallied nine blocks while compiling a .545 attack percentage to lead the Lutes. Gabrielle Alley added six kills and seven blocks, while Roshel Muzzall totaled 14 kills and Chloe Epker added 11. Taylor Komagome had a high of five service aces for the Lutes.

PLU started out the first set with six of the first seven points, but Whitman fought back, matching the Lutes at 14-14. The set saw four tie scores and three lead changes, with the Lutes leading for the majority and holding a three-point lead as late as 18-15 before Whitman closed the set on a 10-4 run to earn the 25-22 win.

The second set saw eight tie scores and two lead changes, with an early four-point PLU run giving the Lutes a 6-4 lead. With the set tied at 9-9 a kill by Edgers sparked another four-point streak to give the Lutes a 13-9 advantage. The Missionaries came back to tie it up 14-14, but PLU pulled ahead on a 9-3 run, leaving Whitworth at 17 while the Lutes charged ahead to 23. The Missionaries held the Lutes at game point with a four-point streak, but PLU won the set 25-22 with a block from Edgers and Alley.

Whitman bounced back early in the third set and held a two-point lead at four different points before a five-point PLU run put the Lutes up 12-9. After Whitman tied it back at 14-14 the Lutes unleashed another five-point run to make it 19-14, and a few minutes later a kill from Edgers sealed the set 25-19.

The fourth set only saw one tie score and one lead change. Whitman led the Lutes 6-1 early and stretched that advantage to 10-4 before three straight kills by Mackenzie Harris and Epker pulled PLU back within three. After Whitman went back up four consecutive kills by Edgers sparked an 11-point PLU run that nearly put the match away. Whitman battled back to within three at 21-18, but PLU held off the Missionaries late, and a block from Edgers and Epker ended the match 25-20.

The Lutes return home for their next five matches, as they will host Lewis & Clark and Pacific next weekend at Names Family Court.