The Pioneers dropped the first match of the Northwest Conference season to the #17 Puget Sound Loggers 27-30, 28-30, 30-17, 30-25, 15-7. Sara Kettler had 15 kills for the Pioneers.
Game one had 15 ties and 10 lead changes with no more than three points separating the two teams. Puget Sound led 24-22 late in the game when five consecutive errors put Lewis & Clark up two 27-25. The Pioneers eventual prevailed on two more Logger errors and a kill by Sara Kettler (senior, Dana Point, Calif.).

Game two mirrored game one early on until L&C pushed out to a 13-8 lead behind the arms of Katherine Fiedler (freshman, San Diego, Calif) and Sara Kettler. Puget Sound finally pulled even at 17-17 with the two teams trading points on kills and service aces. With the scored knotted at 28-28 back to back kills by Fiedler gave the Pioneers the win and a two game to none advantage over the stunned Loggers.

The Loggers showed new life in game three jumping out to a 5-2 lead. After the Pioneers battled back to a 9-9 tie, the Loggers' Kalli Kamphaus willed the Loggers to the 30-17 win collecting eight kills in the game and no errors. UPS took game three 30-17.

The fourth game was back to the form of the first two, with both teams battling for the victory. With the score 22-22 the two teams traded kills, 23-23. A blocking error by the Loggers and a kill by Kettler and it was 24-24. Two L&C errors and the Loggers took a slim 26-24 lead, and managed to hold on for the 30-26 victory.

In the deciding game, the Loggers took a commanding 9-2 lead and never looked back, taking the game 15-7 and the match three games to two games.

Sara Kettler led the Pioneers with 15 kills. She also had four block assists. Katherine Fiedler, battling illness, had 12 kills, two solo blocks and four block assists. Nicki Smith (senior, Brea, Calif.) had 11 kills.  Lara Smith (senior, Vashon Island, Wash.) had 15 digs and 43 assists.

The Pioneers close out the weekend with a Saturday evening match against the #21 Pacific Lutheran Lutes. Can't make it to the game? You can LISTEN LIVE to the game on the internet on sportsjuice.com.

(portions of story contributed by Puget Sound Sports Information)