PARKLAND, Wash. – Pacific Lutheran avoided a four-match Northwest Conference volleyball sweep in 2020-21 by defeating visiting Whitworth 25-22, 22-25, 17-25, 25-22, 15-8 on Saturday night in Olson Auditorium.

The Lutes improved to 4-4 while the Pirates fell to 6-1.  Three of PLU's four losses have come to Whitworth this season.

The Pirates lost the first set for the fourth straight match, but controlled the next two sets for a 2-1 lead.

Whitworth had a chance to close the match out in the fourth set, taking a 15-13 lead on a kill by Abby Wolverton.  The Pirates' last lead was 17-16 before PLU used a 4-1 run to gain the edge.  Another Wolverton kill got Whitworth within 22-21 before the Lutes closed out the set to even up the match.

PLU controlled the fifth set from the beginning, jumping out to a 5-1 lead.  The Pirates got back within 9-6 on a kill from Akon A'leu before the Lutes finished on a 6-2 run.

A'leu led Whitworth with 15 kills and a .538 hitting percentage.  She also was in on a pair of blocks.  Maddie Lee added 14 kills and Wolverton finished with 13.  Kaity Barr was in on seven blocks, while Saylor Anderson and Joelle Forbes combined for 52 assists.  Whitworth hit .181 and had one more block than PLU.  But the Pirates committed 11 service errors.

PLU hit .170 and got 20 kills from McKenzie Pfeiffer.  Breeze Bartle added 12 kills and was in on five blocks, while Baylee Johnson had 11 kills. 

PLU ended a five-match losing streak to Whitworth that dated to the 2018 season.