Sept. 1, 2007

Lutes Split Opening Matches at Boxer Kickoff

Cal-State East Bay Box Score
Rhodes Box Score

FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Pacific Lutheran opened its 2007 season on Saturday by splitting a pair of three-game matches at the Boxer Kickoff volleyball tournament hosted by Pacific University.

In their opener, the 22nd-ranked Lutes ran into a hot Cal State-East Bay team and dropped a 30-18, 30-20, 30-25 decision to the Pioneers. During the evening session, PLU defeated No. 16-ranked Rhodes (Tenn.), 30-25, 30-27, 30-20.

Cal State-East Bay hit .288 as a team while the Lutes managed a .110 percentage. Freshman outside hitter Beth Hanna led the Lutes with 15 kills and senior outside hitter Stacie Matz contributed 11, but the Lutes could not stop a trio of East Bay players. Kelly Paris had 13 kills and hit .478 for the match, while Jackie Randolph had 12 kills and Beverly Hazell added 11 kills.

Things went better in the second match as the Lutes hit .242 as a team compated to .164 for Rhodes. Matz led the Lutes with 15 kills, while Hanna chipped in 12 kills and a .345 hitting percentage. Sophomore middle blocker Kelcy Joynt, who had eight kills in the season opener, added 11 more, plus four aces, against Rhodes. Senior setter Gina Di Maggio finished the day with a total of 59 assists.

Pacific Lutheran returns to action with two more matches on Sunday, facing Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Baruch (N.Y.).

- PLU -