PARKLAND, Wash. – Defensive specialist Hannah Linsenmayer picked up a match-best 23 digs for Whitman College but the Missionaries weren't able to overcome host Pacific Lutheran University in a 3-0 Northwest Conference volleyball loss to the Lutes on Names Family Court Saturday evening.

The defeat drops Whitman's overall record to 2-6  and its conference mark to 0-2 while PLU improves to 7-6 and 1-1, respectively.

The game that possibly got away was the second of the night. Whitman bounced back from a 25-16 loss in the opener by going toe-to-toe with the Lutes in the second. There were seven ties and Whitman trailed by only a point, 19-18, late before PLU was able to wrest momentum away from the Missionaries and finish on a 6-2 run to close out a 25-20 win.

Whitman came out of the 10-minute break on fire in the third game, racing out to a 6-1 lead in regaining some of the momentum from the second game. However, a 17-3 run by the Lutes turned the tables and provided the home team with an 18-9 advantage. The Missionaries pulled back to within six at 22-16 but PLU finished off the match with the next three points for a 25-16 match-clinching victory.

Miranda Taylor and Megan Henry led the Whitman attack with seven kills each, Katie Sisson added six, and Natalie Zea and Kaileah Akker contributed four apiece. Akker continues to be a force at the net, ending the night with a match-best 3.5 blocks.

The Missionaries return to Sherwood Athletic Center -- for the first time since Sept. 1 -- for their next matches, taking on visiting Whitworth University at 6 p.m. Wednesday and George Fox University Friday at 7 p.m.