PORTLAND, Ore. -- Lewis & Clark played four close sets in their second home game of the season in a 23-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-22 loss to the Pacific Boxers at Pamplin Sports Center on Saturday night. 

Before a timeout early in the first set, Pacific led the Pioneers, 11-7. After a pair of attack errors by the Boxers, Lewis & Clark pulled ahead, 22-18. Mikayla Lopez recorded her 600th career assist to propel the team to a 25-23 win. 

The score was flipped in the second set with a 25-23 win for the Boxers. A service ace by Victoria Hernandez helped secure the first three points of the match for Lewis & Clark (2-9; 1-3 NWC), although Pacific quickly pulled ahead after a string of Lewis & Clark errors. Late in the set, the Pioneers had six straight points to bring the score to 15-15, but it wasn't enough to grab the lead.

"This is a learning opportunity for us. We need to maintain our energy and remain technically sound every game with the quality of teams that are in this conference," said Lewis & Clark head coach Stacie Matz-Gordon. "What is encouraging is that our issues tonight are controllable and we can work on that. We have to control them in every match." 

Down 12-7 early in the third set, a block by Kortney Meyer and Julia Somers switched the momentum back to the Pioneers, as they tried to come back from a 5-point deficit. They were unable to recover, and the end score was once again, 25-23, Pacific. 

The fourth and final set started off evenly, but the Boxers pulled ahead, 20-17, with a streak of five kills. The Pioneers held on, putting up five more points before Pacific (7-7; 1-3 NWC) won the set, 25-22. 

Alexe Navarro led both teams in digs, putting up 29. Somers finished with a game-high 17 kills.

The Pioneers are home again on Friday at 7 p.m., taking on the Linfield Wildcats. 

Other Northwest Conference Scores - Saturday

Pacific Lutheran 3, George Fox 1
Linfield 3, Whitman 1
Whitworth 3, Willamette 0