Tacoma, Wash. - The Wheaton volleyball team opened its season on Friday afternoon at the Puget Sound Premiere Tournament. Wheaton opened action with a 3-0 victory against Rose-Hulman. Wheaton won the first set against the Fightin' Engineers 25-22 and picked up a 25-20 win in the second set. The Thunder closed out the sweep with a 25-13 victory in the third set. Pacific Lutheran defeated the Thunder 3-0 in Wheaton's second match of the day. The Lutes opened with a 25-10 win in the first set, followed with a 25-18 victory in the second set and closed out the Thunder in a 25-20 win in the third set.

In Wheaton's win against Rose-Hulman, Deborah Smith led the Thunder with 10 kills and Colleen Smith added nine kills. Audrey Gerze tallied seven kills and Ellie Brown added six kills. Alecia Funk registered 11 digs. Colleen Smith had nine digs and a team-high three service aces. Kaylee Byerly and Ellie Brown each tallied three assisted blocks. Funk led the Thunder with 16 assists and Mia Staub tallied 13.

Brown led the Thunder attack in the loss against Pacific Lutheran with a team-high nine kills and Mia Staub distributed 11 assists. Cassie Swiderek tallied 14 digs and Staub had nine. Brown had a team-high four total blocks.

Wheaton faces Widener University tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. (PDT) in the opening session on Saturday. The host Loggers of Puget Sound will entertain the Thunder at 1:00 p.m. (PDT).