SPOKANE, Wash. - Friday's match between Northwest Conference heavyweights lived up to the hype with the Pacific Lutheran University volleyball team and Whitworth University battling to five sets inside WU Fieldhouse. In the end, it was the host Pirates who emerged with the win, taking the match 3-2 (22-25, 25-22, 25-19, 23-25, 16-14), giving the Lutes' their first blemish of the spring season.

"Wow, what a match tonight!" said Head Coach Kevin Aoki.

"We really blocked well and I'm so very proud of our team tonight on how we competed. The nice thing is we're so grateful that we get to play and that we have a chance tomorrow night to play Whitworth again."

PLU (2-1, 2-1 NWC) trailed 21-19 in the opening set before ripping off six of the next seven points to steal set one 25-22. A Pirate service error ignited the Lute run that was bolstered by kills from Breeze Bartle and Lauren Wilson in addition to a service ace from Hope Baldyga. Bartle wrapped up the set for the Lutes with a solo block for the set's decisive point.

Whitworth (2-0, 2-0 NWC) turned the tables in the second set, tying the match after closing the set on a 4-1 run for the 25-22 win. Seven straight points turned a deadlock into a 16-9 Pirate edge in the third, as Whitworth took the set 25-19. The Lutes leveled the match in the fourth with a Bartle kill giving the visiting Lutes the 25-23 win to force a decisive fifth set.

PLU rushed out to an early 8-4 lead in the fifth but the hosts tallied five of the next six to tie the set. A Sianna Iverson kill followed by consecutive Whitworth attack errors but the Lutes up 14-13 but the Pirates buckled down and scored the next three points to steal the set 16-14 for the match win.

Iverson led the Lutes with 12 kills while Wilson added 11 along with 11 digs. Bartle added nine kills along with 10 blocks with the offense running through Emily Zink and Hope Baldyga who contributed 24 and 19 assists, respectively. Halle Hetzler racked up 31 digs with Baldyga accruing 20 on the night.

The Lutes and Pirates met again tomorrow evening with first serve slated for 6 p.m.