Sept. 25, 2007

Volleyball Jumps Five Spots to No. 17 in National Poll

Hanna Named NWC Player of the Week

The Pacific Lutheran volleyball team was ranked 17th in the CSTV/AVCA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll released this afternoon. The Lutes are coming off an impressive week of play in which they won three matches, including two against nationally ranked teams.

The Lutes started the week by taking down cross-town rival and 15th ranked Puget Sound. PLU dropped the first game but came back to take the next three in impressive fashion. The next Friday the team traveled Oregon to take on George Fox in a Northwest Conference match which the Lutes won in straight sets.

Saturday night was the toughest of the three matches as PLU hosted 12th-ranked Cal State-East Bay. Back on Sept. 1 in Forest Grove, Ore., the Lutes played the Pioneers in the first match of the season, with CSEB sweeping the Lutes in three games. Saturday, in front of 300 fans on their home court, the Lutes avenged that loss with a three-game sweep of their own, 32-30, 30-24, 30-27. With the win, the Lutes improve to 10-3 overall and remain 4-0 in Northwest Conference play.

Freshman Beth Hanna received Northwest Conference honors as she was named Player of the Week for her performance. Hanna led the Lutes with 58 kills, 44 digs and five aces. She hit .303 over the matches.