TACOMA, Wash. — The Pacific Lutheran University volleyball team made it look easy on Tuesday evening. The reigning Northwest Conference Champions extended their home win streak to 20 matches with an emphatic 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-17) victory over crosstown nemesis University of Puget Sound for Head Coach
Kevin Aoki's 499th career win.
Olson Gymnasium was rocking for the Lutes (8-4, 3-0 NWC) who led wire-to-wire in both the first and second sets.
PLU opened the match with kills from
Shaela Allen-Greggs and
Alexis Eggert, followed by an
Ayre Takamoto ace. The Lute lead swelled to 9-3 on a Logger attack error as the hosts cruised to the 25-18 set win.
Pacific Lutheran tallied the opening two points of the second set and five of the first six. The Lutes ballooned their advantage to 23-14 before the Loggers launched a run of their own to close within two points.
Julissa Pernsteiner insured it would be no closer with a clinching kill for the 25-22 set win.
Puget Sound (5-6, 2-1 NWC) took its first lead of the night in volatile third set that saw nine ties and four lead changes. UPS led 10-8 before consecutive kills from
Claire Hindman tied the set, part of a larger 9-1 run that saw the Lutes build a 17-11 edge. PLU kept the intracity rivals at bay the rest of the set with a
Macy Matsushima ace giving PLU the 25-17 set win to clinch the match.
The victory was the Lutes' 19th consecutive regular season NWC win and is the fourth straight sweep for the squad.
Kailee Efros-Bohn had a team-high 12 kills on 25 attacks while Hindman had 11 kills and Pernsteiner added eight along with five blocks. 33 of PLU's 36 assists came off the hands of Takamoto who also had 12 digs. Reigning NWC Defensive Player of the Week
Makenna Jackson had a match-high 19 digs along with four aces.
"I just love this school. I love the Lutes. I think we're so spirited and I think that also contributed to our win," said Hindman.
The Lutes are back in action on Saturday, embarking on a three-match road swing of Oregon that begins at league rival Lewis & Clark College.
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