SPOKANE, Wash. - Whitworth University returns home to host perhaps its toughest two matches of the season when nationally-ranked University of Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran University come into the Fieldhouse Friday and Saturday, respectively. The Pirates (7-5 overall, 2-2 NWC) are coming off of a road split in Oregon where the team defeated Willamette University and fell at Linfield College.

Tough Defense: Whitworth's defense has been very good this season. The Pirates lead the Northwest Conference in digs per game, averaging 21.20. Because of the fact that so many balls keep coming back over the net at Whitworth's opponents, the Pirates also lead the NWC in opponent hitting percentage (.124).

Cassie Moore leads the NWC in aces and digs

Leading the League : Whitworth's Cassie Moore (Sr., Lib., Spokane, Wash.) continues to lead the NWC in two statistical categories. Moore is averaging 0.82 aces per game and 6.49 digs per game, both of which top the conference lists. Her average in digs per game also ranks 28th among all players at the NCAA Division III level.

Sarah Rusch (Jr., MB, Walla Walla, Wash.) is 3rd in the conference and 21st nationally in kills per game (4.62). Holly Ridings (Sr., S, Spokane, Wash.) is 4th in the NWC in assists per game (10.62).

Coming up: University of Puget Sound comes into the weekend with an overall record of 8-5 and a Northwest Conference mark of 3-1. While those records might not seem to deserve a national ranking of 20th in the latest AVCA Division III poll, the Loggers have defeated three nationally-ranked teams and three of the losses have also come to nationally-ranked opponents. Last week UPS fell 3-1 at then-#22 Pacific Lutheran, lost at home to then-#12 Cal State East Bay and won 3-1 on the road at Pacific. Last season the Loggers swept Whitworth, winning 3-0 in Tacoma and 3-1 in Spokane.

Pacific Lutheran is 10-3 overall and 4-0 in the NWC and the Lutes are rated 17th in the latest AVCA DIII poll. The co-defending Northwest Conference champions have won five in a row, including three huge wins last week. In addition to the win over cross-town rival UPS, PLU defeated 12th-ranked Cal State East Bay 3-0 and went on the road to sweep George Fox 3-0. Last year on the way to its co-title, PLU defeated Whitworth twice, winning 3-1 in Tacoma and 3-0 in Spokane.

The Coach: Steve Rupe is in his ninth season as Whitworth's head volleyball coach and has served longer in this capacity than any coach in program history. Rupe has been named the Northwest Conference Coach of the Year twice (2001, 2002) AVCA Regional Coach of the Year once (2005) and has become the second-winningest coach in school history with a record of 138-83 (.624). Under his direction, the Pirates have won three NWC titles and have advanced to the NCAA Division III regional finals twice (2002, 2005).