Pacific Lutheran claimed the 2025 Northwest Conference Volleyball Tournament title on Saturday evening with a 3–1 victory over Whitworth at Whitworth Fieldhouse in Spokane, Washington. Set scores were 17–25, 25–23, 25–21, and 25–18. With the win, the Lutes earn the NWC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament.
Whitworth opened the championship match with a convincing 25–17 first-set win, using 13 kills and three aces to build early momentum. Pacific Lutheran responded immediately, taking control of a tightly contested second set. The teams traded points throughout, but the Lutes held on late for a 25–23 win to even the match.
Pacific Lutheran continued its surge in the third set, hitting .267 and earning a 25–21 victory behind steady offense and clean side-out play. The Lutes then closed out the match in the fourth, posting 15 kills and limiting Whitworth to a .125 hitting percentage in a 25–18 deciding set.
The Lutes finished the night with 52 kills, 69 digs, and five blocks. Shaela Allen-Greggs led the offense with 13 kills, while Je T’aime Paio added 14 kills and 11 digs. Setter Ayre Takamoto guided the attack with 31 assists.
Whitworth tallied 47 kills and 75 digs in the loss. Alyssa Baird posted a team-high 15 kills along with 17 digs, and Amblessed Okemgbo added 13 kills for the Pirates.
Pacific Lutheran improves to 16–9 with the tournament crown and advances to the NCAA Division III National Tournament as the NWC’s automatic qualifier. The Lutes will learn where and who they play in the NCAA Tournament on Monday when the official bracket is unveiled on NCAA.com at 10 a.m. (Pacific Time). It will be Pacific Lutheran's 14th NCAA Tournament appearance and first since the 2023 season.