TACOMA, Wash. - Danielle Skibiel racked up 21 kills but it wasn't enough on Friday night as the two-time defending Northwest Conference Champion Pacific Lutheran University volleyball team had its home opener spoiled at the hands of Whitworth University, falling 3-2 (25-17, 13-25, 21-25, 25-18, 15-10) inside Olson Gymnasium.
 
The opening set was tied 5-5 before the visiting Pirates (7-4, 1-0 NWC) surged ahead with 12 of the next 13 points on their way to a 25-17 set one victory. The Lutes (7-6, 0-1 NWC) led wire-to-wire in the second set, including scoring seven consecutive points to post the 25-13 win. Whitworth enjoyed a 13-11 advantage in the third set before the Lutes rolled off the next five points, including a pair of aces from Emma Peters. PLU played with the lead the rest of the set with a Hailey Iha kill giving the Lutes the 25-21 win.
 
Whitworth collected seven of the first eight points in the fourth set and ripped off five straight points midway through the set to earn the 25-18 win to force a decisive fifth set. 
 
The Pirates raced out to a 6-2 lead in the fifth an advantage that proved to be too much for the Lutes to overcome as Whitworth prevailed 15-10 to win the five-set match.
 
Skibiel collected a match-high 21 kills along with eight blocks while McKenzie Pfeiffer and Baylee Johnson had 15 and 10 kills, respectively. Emily Dulaney netted 46 assists while Halle Hetzler and Emma Peters racked up 26 and 12 digs, apiece.  

"We just came out slow in that first set, and then we played well and fought back to take a 2-1 lead, but in this game there was a lot of momentum and somehow they snatched it in the fourth and fifth sets," said Head Coach Kevin Aoki. "She's (Skibiel) been taken out of her role a little bit because she's been taken outside and also played a little bit of back row for us, which she hasn't done.  Lauren Wilson's injury really caused us to move some people around. We've only gone with this lineup for about two matches now so we're going to get better and work this out." 
 
The Lutes return to the court tomorrow evening, closing out their season-opening homestand against Whitman College at 7 p.m.