TACOMA, Wash. -- Kelsey Parker and Izzy Willis combined for 23 kills in Saturday's 25-21, 25-27, 25-19, 25-15 loss to the Pacific Lutheran Lutes at Names Family Court.

Kate Kimbro hit .333, and Ka'anelaokapu'uwai Pakaki-Pias and Michelle McGinn combined for 31 digs. Emma Ehlers had six blocks, the most by any Pioneers student-athlete this season. 

Willis had two kills in the final three points to seal the Pios second-set win.

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Key Moments

Willis held serve on her ace and kills by Chun and Parker as the Pioneers built a 5-1 lead in the second set, which saw eight ties and four lead changes, the most combined in any game on Saturday. Ehlers had three total blocks and a kill, while Parker landed six of her 13 kills to aid the Pios' lone set win.

PLU (5-6, 2-0 NWC) rushed to a 7-2 lead in the third and kept the Pios about three or four points away to earn a 2-1 edge in the match. Three Lutes posted double-digit kill totals led by Baylee Johnson's match-high 15. The Lutes hit .263 in the third set and .152 for the match. 

In the fourth, Lewis & Clark trailed 16-4 and wasn't able to climb back from the deficit. Isabel Artiaga led the Pios with two kills in the fourth. Sydney Richardson had two assists. 

Deeper Look

• Willis leads the Pios with 3.36 kills per set, which ranks third in the Northwest Conference
• Willis is fourth in the NWC for points per set (3.88), while her 0.44 aces per set ranks sixth in the conference
• Parker's is ninth in the NWC for aces at 0.40 per set
• Annika Traxler entered in the last set and landed one kill on three tries and is the Pios statistical leader in hitting percentage this season (.308) on 39 tries
• With 232 attempts, Willis is hitting .216
• Outside of last year's pandemic-shortened season, Pakaki-Pias has her best digs per set average (4.17) this season
• McGinn's 15 digs were a season high
• Emily Dulaney's 35 assists are the most by a Pios opponent this season, while Halle Hetzler's 21 digs are the most in a four-set match against Lewis & Clark

Looking Ahead

Lewis & Clark (2-6, 0-2 NWC) begins a stretch of eight straight home games on Friday against George Fox.