TACOMA, Wash. - Despite a scrappy effort, particularly in game two, the George Fox University Bruins were unable to slow down the Pacific Lutheran University juggernaut as the Lutes swept a Northwest Conference women's volleyball match 3-0 (30-15, 32-30, 30-23) Friday night here at Olson Auditorium.

The Lutes, ranked 15th in the latest AVCA / NCAA Division III national poll, moved a step closer to the conference title and remained undefeated in league play as they improved to 19-3 overall and 12-0 in the NWC. It was a school record-tying 15th straight win for the Lutes, tying the mark set by the 2004 NWC champions. The Bruins slipped back to .500 at 9-9 overall and are 4-7 in the conference.

Trailing 10-8 in the first game, the Lutes went on an 18-1 run to take a comfortable 26-11 lead. Beth Hanna had eight first-game kills and Megan Kosel served for nine straight points at one stretch for the Lutes, who hit .444 in the game, with 18 kills and only two errors.

The second game was much different, however, as the underdog Bruins battled the Lutes to the bitter end. PLU took an 8-3 lead after a pair of Bruins attack errors, but George Fox ran off 13 of the next 18 points to go ahead 16-13. The teams stayed within three points of each other thereafter, and the Lutes eventually tied it at 26-26 on another service ace by Kosel. The Bruins responded by scoring the next three points on kills by Elizabeth Anderson, Sarah Crossfield, and a PLU attack error. A George Fox service error opened the door for the Lutes, however, and the Lutes ran through it as Gina Di Maggio and Abby Mitchel each had a kill and Hanna added three more to finish the game.

In the third game, George Fox took an 11-5 lead as Natalie Pickett had a pair of kills and Sarah Burkey had two of her team-high three service aces. The Lutes earned a side out and then ran off five straight points on Di Maggio's serve to tie it at 11-11. From there, the Lutes gradually pulled away, and they eventually ended it on a kill by Hanna.

The Bruins, who hit .087 in the match, were led by Anderson with seven kills, while Jessica Morrison and Pickett had six each. Amy Batchelder passed out 20 assists. Ashley Sheller led the defense with 14 digs and Burkey added 11. Anderson, Pickett, and Crossfield were in on three blocks apiece.

The Lutes were led in kills by Hanna, the conference leader, who had 19, and Stacie Matz added 13. PLU hit .250 as a team. Di Maggio handed out 42 assists. Kosel had 18 digs, Hanna 11, and Di Maggio and Lauren Poole 10 each. Sarah Beaver was in on four blocks.

George Fox returns home to host Lewis & Clark College Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Pacific Lutheran is off until next Friday, Oct. 16, when the Lutes host Whitman College at 7:00 p.m.