PORTLAND – After a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Willamette University on Friday night, the Pacific Lutheran University volleyball team had no problems on Saturday.  The Lutes punished the Pioneers of Lewis & Clark College, 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-17).
 
"It was an exciting match with it being Senior Night for them," said PLU Head Coach Kevin Aoki.  "We really played well with excellent matches from Pfeiffer and Alston."
 
The first set was a tight battle between the two Northwest Conference foes that featured 13 ties and five lead changes.  Neither team led by more than three points and the Pioneers four-point run that made the score 7-6 in favor of the hosts was the longest of the set. 
 
Lewis & Clark led 8-4 early in the second set, but the PLU pushed down on the gas pedal and scored 21 of the final 28 points.  The Lutes scored the final six points of the set and carried that momentum in the third, where they hit an incredible .441. 
 
McKenzie Pfeiffer led the attack with 15 kills, but Jazz Alston was right behind her with 13 on .522 hitting.  Alston had four block assists, while setter Emily Dulaney had three to go with her 38 assists on 44 kills.  On the back line, libero Halle Hetzler had 22 digs and Dulaney chipped in 12. 
 
PLU (12-7, 9-1 NWC) has now won 10 of its last 11 matches, including four in a row and sits just one game back of Whitworth University for the top spot in the Northwest Conference.  The Lutes will remain on the road on Wednesday when they head north to take on University of Puget Sound at 7:00 p.m.