Oct. 18, 2006

Volleyball: Lutes Host Puget Sound in Big NWC Clash

THIS WEEK: PLU (16-4 overall, 10-0 Northwest Conference) hosts Puget Sound, Wednesday, 7 p.m.; PLU hosts Alumni, Friday, 7 p.m.; PLU at Willamette, Saturday, 7 p.m.

ANOTHER BIG MATCH FOR LUTES: Pacific Lutheran remains atop the Northwest Conference standings with a perfect 10-0 record, but it faces a tough challenge Wednesday when the Puget Sound Loggers visit Olson Auditorium. The conference contest pitting the two cross-town rivals gets underway at 7 p.m. The teams have played twice this season – both on the UPS campus – with the Loggers winning the first match in five games (30-24, 28-30, 27-30, 30-26, 15-10) on September 2 and the Lutes returning the favor in four games (30-20, 26-30, 30-26, 30-22) on September 20. While PLU has an 11-match win streak and a 16-4 overall record, the Loggers come into the match with an 8-2 record in conference play and a 13-4 overall mark.

ALUMS, WILLAMETTE ALSO ON TAP: Pacific Lutheran has two more volleyball matches on tap this week, though only one counts on the record. On Friday, the Lutes play the Alumni starting at 7 p.m. The following night, PLU will head down to Salem, Ore., for a conference counter against Willamette. The Lutes easily defeated the Bearcats, 30-16, 30-24, 30-20, at PLU on September 23. Willamette is currently 0-10 in Northwest Conference action this season.

NO UNLUCKY FRIDAY THE 13TH: Friday the 13th wasn’t unlucky for Pacific Lutheran as the Lutes won their 10th straight match, defeating the visiting Pacific Boxers, 30-28, 30-17, 30-17, in a Northwest Conference match at Olson Auditorium. Junior outside hitter Stacie Matz (Tacoma, Wash. / Wilson HS) led all players with 12 kills, followed by senior middle blocker Kati McGinn (Puyallup, Wash. / Puyallup HS) with 11 and freshman outside hitter Kelcy Joynt (Wasilla, Alaska / Colony HS) with 10. Junior setter Gina Di Maggio (Olympia, Wash. / Tumwater HS) had 32 assists for PLU.

WIN STREAK REACHES 11: Pacific Lutheran’s winning streak reached 11 straight matches and the Lutes remained unbeaten in the Northwest Conference with a 30-13, 30-24, 30-27 victory over the Lewis & Clark Pioneers last Saturday night in Olson Auditorium. Kati McGinn led the Lutes with 15 kills, followed by Stacie Matz with 13. Gina Di Maggio had 32 assists in the victory.

LUTES RANKED NATIONALLY: Pacific Lutheran has moved up two spots to No. 21 in this week’s American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Coaches Poll. Last week, the Lutes were ranked for the first time this year when they broke into the poll at No. 23. Joining the Lutes in the national poll is fellow Northwest Conference member Linfield, which is No. 15. Linfield, by the way, is 8-2 in the conference, two games behind the Lutes.

- PLU -