ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Nov.1) – The Central Washington University volleyball team battled from behind in the fourth set to win the frame and eventually defeat the ninth-ranked Western Washington University Vikings 3-2 Saturday night in Nicholson Pavilion.
 
The Wildcats (17-6, 10-6 GNAC) came into this game ranked fifth in the West Region right behind the Vikings (17-6, 10-4 GNAC) at fourth, and with the win coupled with Western Washington's loss last Thursday to Northwest Nazarene may allow the Wildcats to jump the Vikings in the regional rankings.
 
The Wildcats were led by junior Kaitlin Quirk who had arguably her best collegiate game, collected 11 kills, and hit .348 and had a team high game high nine blocks, 2.5 in the fourth set alone.
 
"We decided as a team that we were going to get after it, they weren't going to give us anything," Quirk said. "It's always great to win on our own court and it's especially special to beat Western.  They are one of the best teams in the nation, so that kind of shows where we are at right now."
 
The Wildcats handily won the first set 25-16, behind efficient hitting.  Linden Firethorne led the attack in the first set with five kills and setter Catie Fry and Jordan Deming each adding three in the frame where the Wildcats hit .375.
 
Despite two big runs by the Wildcats the Vikings won both the second and third set (25-23, 25-22).  The Vikings hit .364 in the second set and .289 in set three while Central Washington struggled to find themselves offensively.
 
"Our defense played well all night we just couldn't score off it in the second and third sets, and in the beginning of the fourth, "CWU head coach Mario Andaya said.  "Our offense came alive there in the fourth set but it was a result of very good defense."
 
The Vikings looked like they were going to run away with the fourth set leading 9-4.  But after a coach Andaya timeout the Wildcats offense came alive going on a 14-2 run sparked behind the excellent play of Quirk.  The junior collected each of her 2.5 blocks during the run with a pair of kills.  Quirk would go on to end the come from behind set win with an emphatic kill off a Viking over attempt.
 
"Quirk has been in those moment and she understands what she is out there for," Andaya said about his junior middle blockers performance in the fourth set."  "In that fourth set I don't think I have seen a player come alive like that. If you can single handedly do something in volleyball, she did it tonight. I think she carried our team in that fourth set, It was special to watch."
 
 
Central Washington trailed just once in the fifth and final set at 1-2, but would finish the set with a 15-9 win due in large part to the serving of Lauren Herseth, who game the Vikings issues with her short serves leading to a pair of attack errors.
 
Firethone led the Wildcats with 21 kills and Fry added a season-high seven kills from her setter position.  The back row for the Wildcats played a vital role for the Wildcats in the game with four players collecting double-digit dig numbers led by Kaely Kight with 30, while Lindsey Milner added 10.
 
Up next the Wildcats will look to extend its three-game winning streak as they travel to play Montana State Billings and Seattle Pacific next week.