Box Score
HTML Box Score

ELLENSBURG (Nov. 23) -- The Central Washington University volleyball team used a balanced offensive attack and a strong presence at both the service line and at the net to sweep visiting Western Oregon University, 25-15, 25-21, 25-19, in the final regular-season match of the 2013 season on Saturday night at Nicholson Pavilion.

The Wildcats finished the regular season with a 15-11 overall record and an 11-7 mark in Great Northwest Athletic Conference matches. Ranked ninth in this past week's NCAA Division II West Region poll, CWU will now await its post-season fate to be announced this Monday (Nov. 25) at 4:30 p.m. Pacific. Western Oregon finished its year at 10-18 overall and 7-11 in the conference.

Senior ERIN SMITH (Selah), one of four Wildcats playing in their final regular-season match, led the offensive with 11 kills and hit .500, and two of her sophomore teammates -- KAITLIN QUIRK (Ellensburg) and LINDEN FIRETHORNE (Clinton/South Whidbey HS) -- added nine kills apiece and helped lead the blocking efforts with four and five blocks, respectively. Quirk also hit .750, not committing an error in 12 attack attempts.

CWU controlled the first set, cruising to a 10-point win while hitting .375 as a team. The Wildcats then had to come back from an early deficit in the second set, eventually using a 5-0 run to break a 10-10 tie before winning 25-21. An early 4-0 run in the third set gave CWU the lead for good, and the Wildcats later led by as many as nine on three occasions before the final six-point cushion.

The Wildcats' dominance in Saturday's match was keyed by an efficient offensive performance -- CWU hit .250 as a team -- as well as an effective night serving with eight aces in the three-set contest. Redshirt freshman LINDSEY MILNER (Edmonds/Meadowdale HS) had three of those aces, while sophomore CATIE FRY (Tacoma/Mount Si HS) and junior KAELY KIGHT (Spokane/Mead HS) added two each. Fry also had an effective offensive night with 35 assists and three kills.

Western Oregon, which had defeated CWU in five sets in the conference opener at Monmouth, Ore., on Sept. 19, finished with just 27 kills led by six each from seniors Krissi Kemper and Becky Blees. The Wolves' third senior, libero Megan Triggs, led all players with 15 digs.

The match was the home finale for Smith, outside hitter EMMY DOLAN (Castle Rock), defensive specialist ZOE IIDA (Bothell), and outside hitter JORDAN OFFUTT (Leavenworth/Cascade HS).

CWU will need to climb into the region's top eight in order to earn a berth into its second consecutive NCAA Division II Tournament. A post-season berth would be the fifth for the program in the last 10 years under head coach Mario Andaya.