Boxers Perform Well, But Can't Get Past Lutes

Boxers Perform Well, But Can't Get Past Lutes

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Box Score

FOREST GROVE – Pacific showed good energy against No. 16 Pacific Lutheran Friday night, but the tight play of the Lutes proved too much as the Boxers fell in three sets, 25-16, 25-21, 25-19, in Northwest Conference volleyball action at the Stoller Center.
 
The Boxers (5-12, 4-6 NWC) came back to finish hitting .125 for the night after managing just .050 in the opening frame.  Pacific Lutheran (13-4, 9-0 NWC), meanwhile, surged to hit .240 as they slammed 48 kills against just 17 errors on the night.
 
Una Areta (Fr., Kent, Wash.) and Mariah McHolland (Sr., Renton, Wash.) led the Boxers with nine each had nine kills to lead the Boxers.  Emily Farnham (So., University Place, Wash.) had her fourth double-double of the season, finishing with 27 assists and 11 digs while Becky Sheller (So., Gresham, Ore.) added 22 digs.
 
Lucy Capron paced PLU with 12 kills and 18 digs while Amy Wooten added nine.  Samantha North finished with 39 assists.
 
"Pacific showed some good energy early in the first set, building a 4-1 lead on kills by McHolland and Hannah Herbert (So., Hillsboro, Ore.) and a pair of Lutes' attack errors.  The lead was 7-4 when the Lutes swung the momentum with a six-point run, using a pair of Capron kills to take a 10-7 lead.  The Boxers would score just two more points of their own serve, while the Lutes effectively ended the frame with a late six-point run en route to the 25-16 win.
 
The Boxers showed more life in the second set, coming back from a 9-4 deficit to tie it a 9-9 on a kill by Herbert.  PLU responded with a four-point run of their own, retaking a 14-10 lead thanks to a pair of Pacific attack errors.  It look as if the Lutes would cruise later, but the Boxers managed a late four-point rally, paced by a pair of PLU attack errors, to come back within 23-20 before kills by Huston and Haley Urdahl closed out the 25-21 victory.
 
Pacific never led in the third set, but posted their best hitting performance of the night at .212 with nine kills against just two errors.  The Boxers trailed 12-5 when the Boxers mounted a five-point run, buoyed by two Herbert kills, to come within 12-10.  PLU replied with a six-point run of their own to go back ahead 18-10, but the Boxers put together a pair of three-point runs to be back within 20-17.  A PLU was enough to stem the tide, as Urdahl had two kills late to help close out the match.
 
Pacific returns to action next week, heading to eastern Washington for matches against Whitman on Friday and Whitworth on Saturday.  PLU completes their road trip tomorrow night at Linfield.
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