TACOMA, Wash. – The Pacific Lutheran University volleyball team was unable to secure its third victory over its crosstown rival of the season on Tuesday night, suffering a 3-2 (25-14, 19-25. 21-25, 25-22, 15-13) setback at the hands of host University of Puget Sound in a Northwest Conference clash inside Memorial Fieldhouse.
The setback bumps the Lutes (16-4, 9-2 NWC) out of first place in the NWC standings, putting PLU a match behind defending regular season champion Whitworth University with five matches remaining in the regular season.
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Shaela Allen-Greggs kill gave the visiting Lutes a 9-8 lead in the opening set but the host Loggers (12-7, 9-2 NWC) fired back, scoring 17 of the next 22 to take the opener 25-14.
The second set was tied at 18 before Pacific Lutheran scored seven of the final eight points with a
Julissa Pernsteiner kill delivering a 25-19 win to level the match.
PLU scored three straight in the third set, including a
Madi Mulipola ace to pull ahead 14-12. The Lutes would lead the rest of the way with another Pernsteiner kill closing the set 25-21 in favor of PLU.
In the fourth, the Lutes owned an early 10-6 lead thanks to a pair of Pernsteiner kills but the Loggers battled back, tying the set at 18. Pacific Lutheran pushed back in the lead with the next three points but Puget Sound scored the final six points of the set, including a clinching block for the 25-22 win to force a decisive fifth set.
Puget Sound led early in the fifth set, scoring the first four and six of the first seven before the Lutes struck back, mounting an 8-1 run to seize the lead. The set would be tight the rest of the way with the score tied at 9-9, 10-10, 12-12, and finally 13-13. Puget Sound capitalized on an attack error and a kill to squeak out the 15-13 victory to win the five-set marathon match. Â
"Tonight was your typical UPS-PLU cross town rivalry and we definitely had our chances. We will no doubt learn and get better from this for next time out," said Head Coach
Kevin Aoki.
Pernsteiner and Allen-Greggs led the Lutes offense, both finishing with 14 kills with
Alexis Eggert tacking onn13. Pernsteiner boasted a .429 hitting percentage while also collecting a pair of solo blocks.
Ayre Takamoto setup the offense with 47 of the team's 51 assists while
Macy Matsushima anchored the defense with 38 digs with Mulipola adding a dozen digs along with three aces.
The Lutes are back in action on Friday night, hosting Willamette University at 7 p.m. inside Olson Gymnasium.
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