Box Score ELLENSBURG, Wash (Sept. 5) – Central Washington University junior Linden Firethorne (Clinton, WA, South Whidbey) had 17 kills, leading the Wildcats to a 3-1(25-17,21-25,25-21,25-23) victory over No. 8 Cal State University San Bernardino Saturday night at the Hampton Inn Wildcat Volleyball Invitational.
 
The Wildcats improve to 3-0 on the season while the Coyotes fall to 1-1.
 
Central led from start to finish in the opening set bookended by a service ace by Lindsey Milner (Edmonds, WA, Meadowdale) and a big kill from LINDEN FIRETHORNE.  Firethorne, Rachel Hanses (Yakima, WA, West Valley) and Julie Hulbert (La Conner, WA, La Conner) each had three kills in the set as the Wildcats out hit the Coyotes .237 to .091.
 
The Wildcats jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second set before the Coyotes rattled off three scores to tie the score.  The teams traded leads multiple times throughout the set before CSUSB took a 21-20 lead en route to the final 25-21 set victory.
 
Central Washington broke a 9-9 tie in set three by scoring five straight points behind two service aces by Milner and three attack errors by the Coyotes.  San Bernardino closed the gap and trailed the Wildcats 15-14, but couldn't hold off the Wildcat attack as the home team finished the set 25-21.
 
Central concluded the evening with a 25-23 win in set four paced by great hitting especially by Firethorne who had eight kills in the set.
 
The Wildcats will next play 16^th ranked Sonoma State University Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. in the final game of the Hampton Inn Wildcat Volleyball Invitational.