TACOMA, Wash. - Friday's Northwest Conference opener was a see-saw battle with the 10th-ranked Pacific Lutheran University volleyball team utilizing a late surge to net the 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 25-16, 17-25, 15-11) win over Pacific University in front of a raucous crowd inside Olson Gymnasium.

The homestanding Lutes (8-1, 1-0 NWC) capitalied on a Boxer attack error and a Danielle Skibiel kill to take the opening set 26-24 before ending up on the wrong side of a 25-23 decision in the second set. The Lutes blew things open in the third set, building an early 13-6 lead and never looking back in a 25-16 win but pesky Pacific forced a decisive fifth set after taking the fourth, 25-17.

In the fifth, PLU tallied seven of the first 10 points and utilized a Mackenzie Harris kill to slam the door on the Boxers (7-4, 1-1 NWC), claiming the 15-11 win to secure the match.

Skibiel led the way with 13 kills while Chloe Epker and Harris finished with 12 and 10, respectively. Epker additionally logged 24 digs while Caylie Shiramizu had a team-best 27. Isabella Zubrod tallied a team-high 27 assists while Skibiel was a force at the net with seven blocks.

"It was a great way to open conference play against a very tough opponent in Pacific," said Head Coach Kevin Aoki. "The atmosphere was the best in my 23 years as head coach! Thanks to all the fans that came and the pep band."

PLU returns to the court tomorrow, facing Linfield College at 5 p.m. inside Olson Gymnasium.