NEWBERG, Ore. – Behind a boatload of blocks - 16 in all, with 32 block assists - the 19th-ranked Pacific Lutheran University Lutes completely shut down the George Fox University offense en route to a 3-0 sweep of the Bruins in a Northwest Conference volleyball match Saturday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym.

The Lutes cruised to a 25-16, 25-16, 25-14 win, their 17th in the last 18 meetings between the two, by hitting .260 (36 kills, nine errors, 104 attempts) while holding the Bruins to a minus -.032 percentage (28 kills, 32 errors, 124 attempts).  Half of George Fox's attack errors were because of PLU rejections.

After 1-1 and 2-2 ties to open the first set, the Lutes took the lead for good on a Kelsie Moore kill, two Bruin attack errors, and a block by Missy DeWalt and Erin Bremond, setting the tone for the entire match.  Consecutive kills by Moore, DeWalt, and Moore again boosted the PLU led to 20-12, and they closed out the set with a kill by setter Samantha North off an assist by Moore.  The Lutes hit .316 in the set with only two errors.

George Fox roared out to a 5-0 lead in the second set behind the serving of setter Mackenzie Teigen and two kills by Stephanie Kerr, one by Erin Campbell, and a block by Tiffany Burk.  The Lutes gradually fought back and finally knotted the set 15-15 on a winner by Moore, then went ahead for the first time on a North kill.  Kerr put one away for a 16-16 tie, but the Lutes reeled off nine unanswered points to cap the set on kills by Bremond and Moore and seven straight Bruin attack errors, five of them PLU blocks, with Bremond in on every one.

The Lutes left no doubt in the final set, leading from start to finish and jumping out to an insurmountable 16-4 lead.  PLU led 24-9 before the Bruins rallied for five points in a row to make the score more respectable, two of them on kills by Ameena Bossier, before a final winner by Kelsey Pacolt.

Kerr led the Bruins with six kills and Cassie Irwin added five, while Chelsea Wilson had 13 assists and Teigen 10.  Pattie Reeves collected 13 digs and Brooke Molloy, making her first appearance of the season after recovering from an early-season injury, had 12.  Burk made two solo blocks, all that the Bruins had.

Bremond led the Lutes with 12 kills and Moore added 11, North supplying her teammates with 24 assists.  Blair Bjorkman had 12 digs, and Moore and Rose Mattson had nine each.  In the blocks department, Bremond tallied 11 and North six to lead the PLU defense. 

NEXT: George Fox (6-7, NWC 1-3) continues a three-game home stand Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., welcoming the surprising Pacific University Boxers, who were picked to finish last in the pre-season conference poll but are off to an 8-5 start that includes an upset of the 16th-ranked University of Puget Sound on Friday ... Pacific Lutheran (10-2, NWC 3-1) steps outside the conference to host St. Martin's University Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.