Setting the Scene: Pacific Lutheran returns home after two weeks on the road, unpacking its bags for a showdown against crosstown rival University of Puget Sound.
Series History: The Tacoma rivals have met 111 times since the 1980 season with the Loggers holding a 66-45 advantage in the series. That includes Puget Sound winning the last two encounters— a 3-0 victory in the season opening Puget Sound Premiere on August 30 and a 3-0 win on Sept. 23.
About the Lutes: Pacific Lutheran (9-8, 7-3 NWC) was on the road the past two weekends, experiencing mixed results. The Lutes began the road swing in eastern Washington, falling 3-0 to reigning NWC Champion Whitworth University and 3-0 to Whitman College.
The Lutes' fortunes were reversed this past weekend, downing George Fox University and Lewis & Clark College by identical 3-0 scorelines. Julissa Pernsteiner had a dozen kills in Friday's win over George Fox, a match the Lutes had 10 aces. The host Bruins held a lead just once during the night with PLU's Alexis Eggert sporting an efficient .769 attack percentage, netting 10 kills on 13 attacks with no errors.
PLU was even tougher on the serve on Saturday, collecting 13 aces, including four from Bailey Johnson. Shaela Allen-Greggs had nine kills in the win while Eggert had another efficient outing with eight kills on 14 attacks.
The Lutes continue to be the top serving team in the league, leading the NWC in aces per set with 2.15. Bailey Johnson and Macy Matsushima are the two main culprits for the Lutes, both with 27 aces during the 2025 campaign.
Matsushima ranks second in the NWC in digs per set with 4.4 while Ayre Takamoto sits third in the league in assists with 8.0 per set. Alexis Eggert ranks fifth in the NWC in both hitting percentage (.230) and blocks (0.78 per set).
About the Loggers:Â Puget Sound (14-5, 10-0 NWC) heads to Olson Gymnasium in first place in the NWC standings and riding an 11-match win streak.
The Loggers' last setback was back on Sept. 12, a 3-0 loss to 19th-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges. Since then, seven of their 11 victories have been in three sets. Puget Sound secured sole possession of first place in the league standings on Oct. 11 with a 3-1 road win over defending NWC Champion Whitworth.
Puget Sound hasn't let up since that win, securing a pair of 3-0 road wins at the expense of Lewis & Clark and George Fox over the weekend.
Maddie Badger is the Loggers' top offensive threat with 214 kills on the year, averaging 3.5 per set while also having a team-best 57 blocks. Randiu Rush is UPS's primary setter, averaging 10.6 assists per set with Samantha Keightley leading the back row with 253 digs on the year, averaging 4.1 per set.
Home Sweet Home
The Lutes have been a tough team to beat inside Olson Gymnasium, owning a 61-9 record inside the facility since the 2017 campaign. That includes boasting an 23-1 record inside Olson since the 2023 season and currently owning a nine match unbeaten streak.
NWC Coaches' Poll
This August, the Lutes were picked to finish second in the league standings in what coaches believe will be a tight race for the conference title. One point is all that separates PLU from the top spot with three points the buffer from first to third.
Trailblazing NIL the D3 Way: PLU Athletics continues to lead the way nationally in Name, Image, and Likeness, unveiling the Luteville Marketplace last fall through the department's partnership with Opendorse. But don't stay on the sidelines, get involved and connect with PLU student-athletes on the Luteville Marketplace: LINK
The Luteville Marketplace is the first dedicated NIL marketplace in Division III on the Opendorse platform that directly connects student-athletes with fans, supporters, and business partners in an easy to use website.
Stay connected to your favorite teams by downloading the official mobile app of the Pacific Lutheran University athletic department powered by SIDEARM Sports, available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
Featuring real-time news alerts, schedules, exclusive multimedia content, gameday details and more, the new PLU Athletics app is free and compatible with both iOS and Android devices.
Next Home Match:
Oct. 24 vs. Willamette at 7 p.m.
PLU Non-Discrimination Policy: Pacific Lutheran University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Title IX Coordinator Jennifer Childress-White; 253-535-7361; TitleIX@plu.edu