TACOMA, Wash. - McKenzie Pfeiffer tallied a career-high 22 kills but the Pacific Lutheran University volleyball team was unable to extend its win streak to five on Wednesday night, ending on the wrong side of a 3-1 (25-23, 24-26, 25-16, 25-16) affair against Northwest Conference nemesis University of Puget Sound.
Pfeiffer was on fire during on Wednesday night inside Puget Sound's Memorial Fieldhouse, scoring 22 kills on 47 attacks while boasting a .362 hitting percentage.
The visiting Lutes (12-8, 9-2 NWC) held a 22-21 lead in the opening set before a service error kicked off a 4-1 Logger run as UPS stole the first set, 25-23. Pacific Lutheran had its back against the wall in the second, staring at a 22-15 deficit before a
Baylee Johnson kill and a
Madeline Dawson ace kicked off an 11-2 run to earn the 26-24 set win. The Lutes' run included scoring the final five points of the set. Pfeiffer tallied two kills during the run while a bad set by the Loggers (14-6, 8-3 NWC) clinched the set in favor of PLU to even the match at 1-1.
The third set was tied at 15 before the Loggers took control, scoring six straight and 10 of the next 11 for the 25-16 set win. A similar script unfolded in the fourth with Puget Sound turning a slim 15-12 advantage into another 25-16 set win to secure the match.
Pfeiffer accounted for 22 of the Lutes' 46 kills on the night, while also adding two blocks and four digs.
Jazz Alston added eight kills while
Emily Dulaney had a match-high 39 assists along with 10 digs.
Halle Hetzler paced PLU with 23 digs with
Callie Simmonds chipping in 15 digs.
"We played well at times but UPS was on fire tonight," said Head Coach
Kevin Aoki.
"The roles were reversed since the last time we played them. We just have to regroup and be ready for George Fox on Saturday. I am confident that the team will bounce back. A shout out goes to our donors who made this the most successful volleyball Bjug Day in both the number of donors that contributed and the amount of funds raised."
The Lutes are back in action on Saturday, trekking to Newberg, Oregon to face George Fox University.
