SPOKANE, Wash. --- The Pacific Lutheran Volleyball team (17-7, 13-3 NWC) took the Northwest Conference regular season champion Whitworth Pirates (24-2, 16-0 NWC) to five sets on the road, with the Lutes falling 3-2.
 
In the opening set, the match saw the score tied three times up until 8-8 where they Lutes won four-straight points on Pirate attack errors on a kill from freshman Ayre Takamoto. Whitworth tried to climb back into the set, but a 12-3 run that features kills by five different Lutes, and an ace from Sydney Aoki, the Lutes exploded out to a 25-14 win in the first set.
 
Whitworth responded in set two, getting out to an 8-2 lead. A slew of short runs for the Lutes would help lift them back into the game, earning them an opportunity to win four-straight and take a 19-18 lead. Two points later, and second 4-0 run thanks to a pair of Takamoto aces and a Noe Felicano kill propelled the Lutes ahead 23-20. Whitworth did their fair share of comebacks, cutting the deficit to 24-23, but a Pirates attack error gave the Lutes a 2-0 lead over the nationally-ranked Pirates.
 
PLU climbed out to a 5-3 lead early in set three, but a later 5-0 run put the Pirates up 11-6 with the match on the line. An impressive 11-0 run in favor of the Pirates was part of an overall 22-4 run that earned Whitworth a dominant 25-9 win in the third set.
 
In a back and forth set four, the Lutes trailed just 12-10 before a 6-0 run gave Whitworth a 18-10 lead, featuring three service aces. A trio of points came late for the Lutes, but it was too-little, too-late, as Whitworth leveled the match at two sets a-piece following a 25-16 win in set four.
 
The shortened fifth set saw the Pirates take an early 4-1 lead, that would carry into an 8-6 lead. But unable to make a one last push, the Pirates 11-6 lead with cut to 12-10 late. Two consecutive crucial points went in favor of Whitworth, earning a 14-10 lead, and later closing out the final set, 15-12. The Lutes two-set lead would not hold up, as Whitworth's comeback earned them the win in five sets.
 
Claire Hindman led the Lutes with nine kills and four blocks, with Alexis Eggert tallying five blocks. Ayra Takamoto notched 31 assists to go with her four service aces on the night.
 
"We came close tonight, but ultimately this match gave us some valuable experience for the Northwest Conference tournament next week, and hopefully the NCAA tournament as well." Said Head Coach Kevin Aoki after Saturday's match.
 
The Northwest Conference season is wrapped up, with the Lutes next challenge coming in the Northwest Conference Tournament, where they will earn the two-seed and face three-seeded Puget Sound in the opening round.
 
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