Pacific Lutheran, Ranked #17, Defeats Bearcats in Three Sets

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

PARKLAND, WASH. -- Pacific Lutheran University, ranked #17 in the NCAA Division III Poll released by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) this week, defeated visiting Willamette University, 3-0, in a Northwest Conference match on Friday, Oct. 10. PLU won 25-18, 25-15, 25-7.

The Lutes upped their record to 14-3 overall and moved to 7-1 in the NWC to remain in first place. Willamette slipped to 8-8 on the season, 3-4 in the NWC. The Bearcats will return home to take on Pacific University at Cone Field House on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. (PDT).

In Friday's match, PLU hit .295 with 41 kills, while limiting the Bearcats to just 19 kills and .019 hitting percentage. Kylai Cooley led the Lutes with 11 kills and Lucy Capron achieved 10 kills.

Samantha North registered 33 assists, nine digs and four block assists for the Lutes, while Amber Aguiar led the team with 21 digs. Cooley provided 13 digs, with Capron supplying 10 digs and four service aces. Taylor Komagome also finished with four aces for PLU.

For the Bearcats, Taylor Lum (So., MH/OH, Honolulu, HI/Maryknoll HS) earned seven kills and a .312 hitting percentage. Alexa Dowdell (So., MH/OPP, Mililani, HI/Maryknoll HS) added five kills and 10 digs.

Peyton Wahl (Fr., DS/LIB, Richland, WA/Richland HS) led Willamette with 12 digs. Elisa Ahern (Sr., Lake Forest Park, WA/Shorecrest HS) provided 10 digs and three block assists.

The Lutes limited Willamette's top attacker, Sarah Fincher (Jr., OH, Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS/Southwest Baptist Univ.), to just two kills and a negative .158 hitting percentage on 19 attacks. Fincher entered the match ranked second in the NWC with 3.43 kills per set.

Pacific Lutheran held a 4-2 lead in the first set, but the Bearcats tied the score at 4-4 following a combo block by Dowdell and Taylor Gee (Sr., MH/OH, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS). PLU tallied the next two points on kills by Kacey Hartman and Ariana Judson to start a 4-1 run.

A bit later, the Lutes used a 3-0 run to extend a 9-6 lead into a six-point margin. Pacific Lutheren eventually increased its lead to 18-10 on a kill by North.

Willamette pulled within 19-15 on a service ace by Wahl, and cut the lead to 21-18 on a block by Fincher and Lindsey Compton (Jr., OH/S, Portola, CA/Portola HS/Univ. of Hartford), but couldn't get closer. PLU scored the next four points, ending with back-to-back service aces by Komagome, to take a 25-18 win.

In the second set, Pacific Lutheran surged out to an 8-2 lead. A block by Lum and Ahern, plus one kill each by Lum and Dowdell, reduced the margin to 8-5. The Lutes eventually took a 13-7 lead on a kill by Capron.

WU pulled within 14-12 six rallies later on a kill by Ahern. The Bearcats also moved within two points at 15-13, when Gee registered a kill. The Lutes countered by scoring six consecutive points, including five points with Komagome serving, to take a 21-13 advantage. The Lutes won the set 25-15.

Pacific Lutheran built leads of 8-2 and 10-3 in the third set. Willamette was never able to recover, as PLU continued to pull away and closed out the match with a 25-7 victory.