TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University volleyball team showed on Friday night why Olson Gymnasium has been such a daunting venue for opposing teams, as the Lutes rallied from an 0-2 deficit to pull out the 3-2 (19-25, 20-25, 26-24, 25-23, 15-9) victory over Northwest Conference rival Willamette University. 

A tight opening set ultimately went to the visiting Bearcats (4-12, 3-4 NWC) with Willamette scoring four of the final five points to escape with the 25-19 decision.

The Bearcats ripped off seven of the first eight points in the second. The Lutes (12-8, 5-3 NWC) closed the gap, trailing 23-19 but wasn't able to complete the comeback with WU taking a 2-0 lead with a 25-20 victory in the second set.

The Lutes charged out to a 4-1 lead in the third but needed consecutive kills from Danielle Skibiel and Baylee Johnson to come away with the 26-24 set win.

"We talked in the break between the second and third sets that we just need to play out here. It's our home court, we need to defend it and we need to play for each other and as well as our fans that support us and I think we really showed that in the last three sets," said McKenzie Pfeiffer. "Volleyball's a team sport and when we're all playing together it really shows."

Willamette scored four of the first five in the fourth set but the Lutes buckled down, getting its final two points of the set on kills from Johnson for the 25-23 win to force a fifth set.

The Bearcats enjoyed an early lead in the fifth before the Lutes scored 10 of the final 12 points including a Kristin Moniz service ace and a Savanna Service kill for the 15-9 win to secure the match victory.

Skibiel finished with 21 kills while Pfeiffer had 20 kills with a .425 hitting percentage. Johnson chipped in 17 kills while Emily Dulaney accrued 62 of the team,'s 69 assists. Halle Hetzler had 17 digs with Emma Peters adding 13. 
 

Lutes Volleyball comes back after going down 2 straights sets to pull out the 3-2 win at Names Family Court! @GoffZach35 talks with McKenzie Pfeiffer about her 20 kills and how the team stuck together throughout the match. pic.twitter.com/MPSDKbVhf5

— PLU Athletics (@golutes) October 12, 2019

"Wow, it was a tale of two teams," said Head Coach Kevin Aoki. "Our young women persevered and we will use this to build some momentum for the second half of the season. Kristin came off the bench and had three very tough serves to wrap up the win for us tonight."

The Lutes return to the court next Friday, heading to eastern Washington to face NWC-leading Whitworth University.