The Pacific Unviersity volleyball team snapped a 26-match losing streak to Pacific Lutheran with a 22-25, 30-28, 15-25, 25-22, 15-7 win on Saturday afternoon in Tacoma.
The Boxers (10-8, 4-4 NWC) had not defeated the Lutes since an October 11, 2003 win in Forest Grove. Senior setter
Jamie Steach (Pasco, Wash.) organized an attack with a season-high 59 assists to lead Pacific. Senior
Tiare Kaopua (Nanakuli, Hawai'i) had a match-high 25 kills to lead the attack; plus newcomers
Karlee Duncan (Bend, Ore.) and
Milana Ivkovic (Beaverton, Ore.) added 14 and 12, respectively.
With Steach finding a potent offensive attack, the Boxers' service game recorded 12 service aces. Sophomore
Morgan Mendicino (San Diego, Calif.) and Ivkovic each had four service aces with three more from freshman Kierstin Evanson (Great Falls, Montana). Plus,
Lia Zablan (Ewa Beach, Hawai'i) and
Karissa Komo (Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i) had 19 and 16 digs, respectively.
The Lutes (7-9, 5-3 NWC) were led by a 21-kill effort by Chloe Epkert as they hit .267 in the loss. Danielle Skibel and Isabella Zubrod added 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Setters Kiana Calles and Madi Collier had 26 and 22 assists, respectively.
"I am proud of how hard the girls practiced this week and how that translated to our matches," said Pacific head coach
Kip Yoshimura.
PLU won the first and third sets, leading from start to finish. The second set was indicative of the match. Pacific held the lead for most of the set and the Boxers were able to secure the set on back-to-back kills by Kaoupa, who had five kills in the set.
In the fourth set, the Boxers called on Kaopua after the fifth tie of the set at 18. The senior answered with three-straight kills to prompt a PLU timeout and put the Boxers ahead en route to the 25-22 to even the match at two sets apiece.
In the decisive fifth set, the score was tied on six occasions before a 7-1 run by the Boxers put Pacific ahead 13-6. In the run, Duncan had four kills and Mendicino served up three aces. The Boxers secured the win after a service error and an attack error by the Lutes.
The win is the third in a row for the Boxers, who will now host Whitman on Friday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. and Whitworth on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 5 p.m.
