FOREST GROVE, Ore. — Three Lutes registered double digit kills as the defending Northwest Conference Champion Pacific Lutheran University volleyball team downed host Pacific University 3-1 (25-17, 31-33, 28-26, 25-20) on Friday night, extending its conference win streak to 21 matches.

"It was a battle tonight against a very inspired Pacific team. It was truly awesome to come back being down in the 3rd set and winning was huge. We're proud how our players played their hearts out tonight," said Head Coach Kevin Aoki.

The host Boxers (7-6, 2-3 NWC) registered the opening point of the match but it was all Lutes (10-4, 5-0 NWC) after that in the first set, netting the next five points including a trio of kills from Claire Hindman. PLU would hold the lead the rest of the set with a Macy Matsushima ace delivering a 25-17 victory for the visiting Lutes.

Neither team owned a lead greater than two points at any point in the second set with the host Boxers squeaking out a 33-31 victory. The third set saw Pacific jump out to a 17-11 advantage. PLU tied the match at 21 on a Kailee Efros-Bohn kill and it would remain a tightly contested affair the rest of the set. Pacific led 26-25 but a Boxer service error followed by a Callie Simmonds and Alexis Eggert block and a Pacific attack error, gave the visiting Lutes the 28-26 set win.

Five straight points gave PLU an 8-4 edge in the fourth set. PLU would hold that edge the rest of the set with an Eggert kill giving PLU the 25-20 set win to secure the program's 21st consecutive NWC regular season victory. 

Julissa Pernsteiner headlined the Lutes with a career-best 14 kills while also adding a team-best six blocks. Hindman chipped in 13 kills with Eggert notching 10 kills. Ayre Takamoto setup the offense with 47 assists while also adding 10 digs while Makenna Jackson had 19 digs and Matsushima added 12. 

The Lutes are back in action tomorrow night, facing George Fox University at 6 p.m. in Newberg, Oregon.