Oct. 14, 2006

PLU Tops Pioneers for 11th Straight Victory

Match Statistics

TACOMA, Wash. – Pacific Lutheran won its 11th straight volleyball match and remained unbeaten in Northwest Conference play with a 30-13, 30-24, 30-27 victory over the Lewis & Clark Pioneers on Saturday night in Olson Auditorium.

Kati McGinn - 15 kills leads Lutes

Stacie Matz - 13 kills in win

The Lutes, ranked No. 23 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Coaches Poll, improved their overall record to 16-4 and their conference mark to 10-0. Lewis & Clark lost for the fourth straight time and is now 6-14 overall and 4-6 in the conference.

Last year, Lewis & Clark upset the Lutes in a match that probably cost Pacific Lutheran a berth in the NCAA Division III national tournament. Any PLU fears about a repeat performance were quickly ended as the Lutes came out hot in the first game, registering 13 kills with no errors in 31 attempts, a .419 percentage. Senior middle blocker Kati McGinn had six kills in seven attempts and junior outside hitter Stacie Matz had five kills in 10 attempts as the Lutes easily won the first game.

The visiting Pioneers put up a fight in the second game, taking an early 6-3 lead on consecutive kills by Nicki Smith and Sara Kettler. The Lutes regained the momentum in the middle of the game, however, as both junior setter Gina Di Maggio and junior libero Megan Kosel served four straight points leading to an 18-12 PLU lead. A kill by Kelsey Clark, followed by five straight service points by Kelsey Neussl, brought the score even at 18-18, but the Lutes regained the momentum and pulled away for the second game win.

Lewis & Clark grabbed the lead in the third game and eventually led by as much as six points at 19-13. The Pioneers took a 23-18 lead on a kill by Neussl, and they still led 25-23 when the Lutes ran off five straight points on Kosel’s serve. Freshman outside hitter Kelcy Joynt had three kills among PLU’s final six points, including the match winner.

Pacific Lutheran returns to action at 7 p.m. Wednesday, hosting the Puget Sound Loggers in a Northwest Conference match.

- PLU -