CENTRAL VOLLEYBALL SWEPT BY RIVAL WESTERN
Wildcats Fall to 1-4 in GNAC Play Following Three-Set Loss to Vikings

BELLINGHAM (Oct. 3) -- Senior Erin Norris (Spokane/Mead HS) had nine kills and hit .240, but the Central Washington volleyball team was swept by host Western Washington 25-16, 31-29, 25-16, on Saturday night at Carver Gym.

The loss, which was the Wildcats' sixth in their last eight matches, drops them to 9-7 overall and 1-4 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play, while Western Washington improved to 11-6 overall and 4-2 in the GNAC.

Central fell behind early in the first set and never led in the frame en route to a nine-point loss. The Wildcats struggled offensively from the start, hitting just .032 in the first set while Western hit .258.

The second set was the longest set of the season for the Wildcats, who had overcome a pair of set points with three straight tallies including back-to-back blocks that gave Central a 25-24 lead. However, CWU was unable to put Western away at that point, and the teams had 13 ties and eight lead changes in the frame before the Vikings got a set-clinching kill from Kathryn Mertens to take a 2-0 match lead.

In the final set, Central scored first and led by as much as 4-1, but a 9-3 Viking run gave Western a 10-7 lead and the Wildcats were never able to over their deficit in suffering just their second straight-set defeat of the season.

Norris was the lone bright spot offensively for the Wildcats, totaling nine kills while no other Central player had more than four. She was held without a service ace for just the second time this season. Junior libero Brandie Vea (Honolulu, Hawaii/Kalani HS) maintained her conference lead in digs with 21 digs in the three-set match, totaling nearly 40 percent of the Wildcats' 54 digs in the contest.

Western Washington had two players reach double figures in kills, including freshman Marlayna Geary who had 19 kills and a .400 hitting percentage. Teammate Emily Jepsen finished with 10 kills, a .269 percentage, and a match-high six blocks, while Viking libero Allison Gotz edged Vea for match-leading dig honors with 22.

Central Washington returns home to Nicholson Pavilion next weekend for a pair of matches. The Wildcats take on Seattle Pacific on Thursday (Oct. 8) and Western Oregon on Saturday (Oct. 10) before embarking on a four-match road trip.

BOX SCORE:
Western Washington def. Central Washington 25-16, 31-29, 25-16