Kelsey Bumgarner, Whitworth Sports Information Intern

Complete box score and play by play

Ka'ipo Rocha had 14 kills and 2 blocks

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Defending Northwest Conference champion Pacific Lutheran defeated Whitworth 3-1 (22-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-14) in a NWC volleyball match on Saturday night.

Beth Hanna, the 2007 NWC Player of the Year, led the visiting Lutes with 20 kills and 14 digs. Kelsie Moore contributed 10 kills and 17 digs, Brenna Archibald dug 20 balls, and Sarah Beaver dealt out 47 assists. PLU hit .200 in the match.

Kaimi Rocha (Fr., OH, Pukalani, Hawaii) headed the Pirates with 14 kills and 10 digs. Ka’ipo Rocha (Fr., OH, Pukalani, Hawaii) added 14 kills and Nikki Bardwell (Sr., OH, Colville, Wash.) had 12. Jordan Hoffnagle (Fr., S, Spokane, Wash.) and Bree Riddle (Fr., S, Spokane, Wash.) had 21 assists each and Bethany Castilleja (Sr., LIB, Kennewick, Wash.) had 20 digs. The Pirates hit .138 for the match.

Hanna opened the match with a quick kill, but the Bucs and Lutes went back and forth to tie at 6-6 before Whitworth took the lead at 11-6 after kills by Bardwell, Ka’ipo Rocha, and Jill Solbrack (Sr., RS, Colfax, Wash.). Controlling the tempo, the Pirates eventually led 24-17. Moore led a Lute rally with two aces to pull PLU within two points, but the set ended 25-22 in Whitworth’s favor on a kill by Bardwell.

Bardwell also opened the second set with a kill, but again the teams became tied up at 8-8. This time the Lutes took control of the set, guided by three of Hanna’s kills to go up 17-13. After a short surge by the Pirates, Hanna put away the set with two more kills to win 25-23.

Whitworth saw its last lead in the third set when Hoffnagle opened with a service ace and Bardwell added a kill to go up 2-1. After a 6-6 tie early in the set, PLU went on an 8-3 run to get up 15-9. Hanna grabbed five more kills as the Lutes went on to win the set 25-20.

Whitworth hit -.108 and had 12 errors as Pacific Lutheran took complete control of the match in the fourth set. The Bucs stayed close early at 8-8, but then attack errors gave the Lutes the opportunity to surge ahead 21-13. Archibald and Kristi Neubauer each had a service ace and Katy Tauscher completed the match 25-14 with a kill.

Whitworth (9-9 overall, 2-4 NWC) will play at home again on Oct. 7th against Whitman at 6 pm. Pacific Lutheran (10-5 overall, 4-2 NWC) will return home to host Willamette on Oct. 10th.

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