PARKLAND, Wash. — Lewis & Clark College volleyball opened Northwest Conference play Friday night with a 3-0 loss to Pacific Lutheran University at Olson Auditorium.
THE BASICS
Pacific Lutheran 3, Lewis & Clark 0 (25-20, 25-11, 25-22)
Lewis & Clark (0-8, 0-1 NWC)
Pacific Lutheran (3-5, 1-0 NWC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Junior
Ruby Kuerschner tied her career high with seven kills and added six digs, four assists and a block to lead the Pioneers. Juniors
Kaitlyn Jensen (five),
HB Schuett (three),
Isabel Meleán-Williams (two) and sophomore
Daphne Ibrao (two) added the remaining kills.
Jensen recorded her first career solo block, matched her career high with four service aces and tied Kuerschner for the team lead with six digs. Senior libero
Reilyn Sabado finished with five digs and two aces, while Schuett chipped in three digs and three blocks.
Setter
Kenzie Edwards paced the offense with six assists to go with three digs and an ace. Sophomore Ainsley Morchrie added four digs and an assist.
Lewis & Clark stayed close early in the first set, tying it 4-4 after kills from Kuerschner and Jensen. The Lutes responded with a 7-0 run for an 11-4 lead. An ace from Sabado and a kill from Schuett cut the deficit to 11-7. Facing set point at 24-17, the Pioneers rallied with three straight points, but Pacific Lutheran secured the final point for a 25-20 win.
The second set was controlled by PLU from the opening serve. Lewis & Clark managed just three kills and hit -.286 as the Lutes closed on a 9-1 run to win 25-11.
The Pioneers mounted their best push in the third set. Kills from Meleán-Williams and Schuett gave Lewis & Clark a 9-6 advantage, its largest of the night. After PLU went on a 4-1 run, Ibrao answered with a kill, giving them an 11-10 lead. The teams traded points until Jensen's two aces put the Pioneers ahead 18-16. Kuerschner later added a kill to bring Lewis & Clark within 23-22, but the Lutes won the final two points to seal the 25-22 victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Lewis & Clark finished with eight aces and has posted eight or more in half of its matches this season.
- First-year Ariah Potts contributed two digs and an assist.
- Jensen's four aces give her 13 on the year, tied for fifth in the NWC, while Edwards ranks third in the league with 18.
WHO'S NEXT
Lewis & Clark travels to the University of Puget Sound for a 6 p.m. first serve Saturday to wrap up its annual Tacoma trip.
