TACOMA, Wash. — One streak continued and another streak ended on Tuesday night inside Olson Gymnasium. Anchored by a huge night from
Shaela Allen-Greggs and
Julissa Pernsteiner, the Pacific Lutheran University volleyball team extended its home winning streak to 10 while simultaneously snapping University of Puget Sound's 11-match win streak, sending the local rivals its first setback of the Northwest Conference slate after rallying to a 3-2 (21-25, 25-27, 28-26, 26-24, 16-14) victory.
Tuesday's clash was the third meeting of the season between the Tacoma rivals but the first time being played inside Olson, a venue the Lutes own a 24-1 record inside since the start of the 2023 campaign. Neither team was able to gain much separation during the wild match that featured 49 ties and 23 lead changes over the course of the five sets.Â
The Lutes (10-8, 8-3 NWC) had their backs against the wall in the fifth set, trailing 14-12 before getting consecutive kills from Allen-Greggs to tie the set. A
Bailey Johnson ace tipped the scales 15-14 in favor of PLU before an
Alexis Eggert block sealed the 16-14 set win to give the homestanding Lutes the come from behind win.
"So proud of our entire team and how we've battled back from the low point in our season in eastern Washington a couple weeks ago. The team has taken upon themselves to get back to playing Lute volleyball," said
Kevin Aoki.
The Lutes claimed three of the first four points in the opening set and staked a 9-5 lead on a
Haley Goto kill. Tied at 19, the Loggers scored four straight points and eventually escaped with the 25-21 set win. UPS (14-6, 10-1 NWC) scored four of the first five in the second set in a wild set that had 11 ties and four lead changes. Set two was tied at 20-20, 21-21, 22-22, 23-23, 24-24, and 25-25 before a service error and a kill gave UPS the 27-25 set win to take a 2-0 lead in the match. Â
Puget Sound led in the third set and had match point at 26-25 but a Pernsteiner kill, a
Clare Freberg kill, and a Logger attack error, allowed the Lutes to stay alive and secure the 28-26 set win.
Pacific Lutheran scored the first five points of the fourth set but the Loggers wouldn't make it easy on the Lutes in a set with 12 ties and four lead changes. Tied at 24, PLU got kills from Allen-Greggs and Eggert to secure the 26-24 win and force a fifth set.
The fifth set saw 10 ties and six lead changes before closing the match on a 4-0 run to seize the win.
Allen-Greggs led the match with a career-high 22 kills, boasting a .316 attack percentage and also collecting three blocks. Pernsteiner also had a career-high, collecting 19 kills with two blocks and a .326 attack percentage. Eggert had a dozen kills and five blocks while
Je T'aime Paio had nine kills and 19 digs.
Ayre Takamoto had a double-double with 60 assists and 16 digs while
Macy Matsushima led the team with 22 digs.Â
The Lutes are back at home on Friday, hosting Willamette University at 7 p.m.
"We have a very hot Willamette team coming on Friday as they have won six straight. The Lutes will be up for the challenge."
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