ELLENSBURG, Wash (Oct. 7) – The 23rd ranked Central Washington University volleyball team will be in the comfort of their own home for the next two weeks as they enjoy a four-game homestand beginning with Montana State Billings and Seattle Pacific University this Thursday and Saturday at 7 P.M. In Nicholson Pavilion.
The Wildcats are currently on a three-game slide having lost to three of the top teams in the conference and have fallen to seventh in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings.
Being at home should prove fruitful for the Wildcats who are 20-6 in their last 26 home matches including a 5-1 mark this season and a 13-2 record since 2012.
"We are excited to play at home. There is lots of energy in Nicholson and the girls like being in their own environment," Head Coach
Mario Andaya said. "With that said, we have to come ready to play against some good teams. We are going to take advantage of our environment but above all we have to be ready physically."
The Wildcat defense will have their work cut out for them as they face two of the conferences best hitters this week. Chelsey Walter of MSUB has 191 kills, is hitting a conference best .364 on the season and is averaging 3.18 kills per set. Seattle Pacific's Madi Cavell leads the conference in kills (234) and kills per set at 4.03, but is hitting just .186.
"Against MSUB we have to constantly be aware of where Walters and Grimsrud are at and try to slow them down." Andaya added. "Cavell gets a lot of attempts for SPU and is one of their main attackers. Again, we need to keep tabs on where she is when she is on the floor."
Guarding the net for the Wildcats will be
Kaitlin Quirk who is third in the GNAC with 1.04 blocks per set. As a team the Wildcats ranked second in the GNAC with 123.5 total blocks and 2.25 blocks per set.
Led by libero
Kaely Kight, CWU is third in digs as a team with 16.98 per game. Kight currently has 291 digs on the season and is just 59 digs away from breaking the school record. If she keeps pace, she should break the record sometime within the four-game homestand.
"Kaley has a opportunity to get into the record books and it is cool that it has the potential of happening at home." Adaya said. "She has been a staple for us since her arrival. With that said, our overall team defense is key and we need to make sure we are on point in every facet this weekend."
