Pacific Lutheran University Athletics

TACOMA, Wash. — There was nothing diplomatic about the opening day of the Puget Sound Premiere on Friday with the Pacific Lutheran University volleyball team facing a pair of NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago. The Lutes made quick work of Franklin & Marshall College, dispatching the Diplomats 3-0 (25-13, 25-17, 26-24) in the morning match before coming up short in five sets to defending national champion University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (26-28, 25-19, 21-25, 25-23, 15-10) to close the night.

Julissa Pernsteiner and Je T'aime Paio were dialed in against Franklin & Marshall (1-1), both finishing the three set match with 13 kills. The opening set was tied at 12 before the Lutes (2-1) took control, scoring 13 of the final 14 points, including the final 10 points of the set to seize the 25-13 win. A Shaela Allen-Greggs kill sparked the run that included three kills from Paio and the set clinching point from a Pernsteiner kill. 
 
PLU tallied six of the first eight points of set two, leading the rest of the way with Alexis Eggert collecting consecutive kills to deliver the 25-17 set win. The third set was a dogfight with the Diplomats owning a 23-21 win before the Lutes scored five of the final six, including three kills from Pernsteiner to escape with a 26-24 set win and the sweep. 
 
Ayre Takamoto finished with 34 assists while Macy Matsushima headlined the defensive with 27 digs while Savanna Colliado added eight. 

The evening match against the defending national champions and No. 1 ranked Titans (2-0) was a slugfest. PLU took the opening set 28-26, scoring the final three points of the set. PLU trailed 20-19 in the second but UWO ripped off five straight to escape with the 25-19 set win to tie the match. 
 
The Lutes scored six of the first seven in the third set and never trailed with a Paio kill giving PLU the 25-21 set win to put the Titans on their heels. UW-Oshkosh edged out a 25-23 victory in set four to push a decisive fifth set. UWO led wire-to-wire in the fifth, prevailing 15-10 in a match PLU proved they can play with anyone in NCAA Division III.
 
"Wow! What a great day for PLU volleyball with a sweep of Franklin & Marshall and then going toe-to-toe with the defending national champions and current No. 1 team. We're so proud of this entire team and our excited to be back on the court tomorrow against another pair of great opponents," said Head Coach Kevin Aoki.

Alexis Eggert paced the Lutes in the five set thriller with 17 kills with Allen-Greggs and Paio contributing nine. Takamoto led the way with 39 assists while Matsushima anchored the defensive efforts with 27 digs while Paio added 17 and Savanna Colliado 14.

PLU is back on the court tomorrow at 11 a.m., facing University of Wisconsin-River Falls before closing the tournament at 7 p.m. against host and heated rival University of Puget Sound.