SPOKANE, Wash. -- The Loggers drop their semifinal match in five sets to Pacific Lutheran, finishing the season as Co-Northwest Conference Champions. 

How it Happened
The Loggers battled hard, but couldn't quite finish the job against cross-town rival PLU. In a back-and-forth first set, the Loggers kept even with the Lutes most of the way through. After going down 5-9, a number of Lute attack errors and a service ace by Akira Anderson brought the Loggers back to 10 apiece. Kills by Randi Rush and Maddie Badger evened the set yet again at 14, but a 7-2 Lute run gave them a 16-21 lead. 

The Loggers weren't quite out of it yet, though, battling all the way back on a 7-2 run of their own. Facing a Lute match point, the Loggers rattled off three points in a row to force a win-by-two situation. An intense final two points went the Lutes' way, as the Loggers found themselves down 1-0 after the first set. 

The second and third sets were better, as the Loggers started to find their groove. A kill by Skya Favor and a Rush service ace pushed their early lead to 8-4. Puget Sound kept its foot on the gas, as yet another Samantha Keightley ace gave the team a 19-13 lead. The Lutes made the set interesting, though, tying the match at 21. A 4-1 run capped off the second set, as Rush finished the set with a final kill. 

Puget Sound kept the foot on the gas pedal, starting the third set with a 7-4 lead. A Mackenzie Leith kill pushed the lead to five, as the team was playing quite well. A Lute run then tied it up at 17, but a kill by Erin Fagan and an Amelia Reed ace pushed the lead back to three – 21-18. A final kill by Skya Favor sealed the deal, as the Loggers took set two 25-23. 

The fourth set also bode well to begin for Puget Sound, taking off to a 6-1 start. The Lutes started to find rhythm, though, as the Loggers found themselves in an 11-17 hole shortly after. The Loggers tried to pull it back, but the Lute lead was too much to overcome. The match came down to a fifth and final set, as the Loggers kept battling. 

The last set was intense, as both teams were fighting for a spot in the NWC Tournament Final. The Lutes got off to a good start this time, picking up an early 4-2 lead. The Loggers climbed back with a 4-1 run, pulling ahead 6-5. It was back and forth for a couple of points, but a 3-0 Lute run made it 8-11. The Loggers climbed back to make it 11 apiece, but a 4-1 Lute run ended the game. 

Coach's Thoughts
"We battled really hard tonight - one of our best reception games of the season vs tough serving, said Logger head coach Mark Massey. We also implemented some new tactical blocking that helped stymie some of their top hitters. Unfortunately, we really struggled with our normal strength, offense, and it was just enough that PLU squeaked out a win."

"Regardless , I am super proud of our team excelling as regular-season Co-Champs. Our Senior leadership was exceptional, and they were great role models for everyone."