PORTLAND, Ore (Oct. 3) – The Central Washington University volleyball team defeated Concordia University in comeback fashion Saturday night, winning the final three sets to take the match, 3-2 (25-27, 25-27, 25-19, 25-14, 15-8).
 
The Wildcats improve their record to 9-4 overall and 5-1 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference as the Cavilers drop to 10-4 overall and 2-4 in conference.
 
Central Washington raced out to a quick 5-1 lead in the first set, but Concordia answered right back to even the set at five apiece. Both teams traded three point leads all the way to the finish of the opening act. An attack error by the Cavilers gave the visitors a 24-23 advantage, but the Wildcats could not capitalize as Jenessa Taylor answered the call with back-to-back kills to reclaim the lead for the home team. An attack error by Linden Firethorne gave Concordia a one-set-to-none advantage.
 
Kiah Jones opened the second set with a kill, as she would finish the match with 15 on the night. Again, the Wildcats raced out to a quick 3-0 advantage, but the Cavilers had an answer reversing the momentum, and scoring six straight points aided by three attack errors from the Wildcats. Late in the set, Jones scored another kill to give the Wildcats a 24-22 lead, but the Wildcats could not close the set as Concordia's Taylor riffled another set clinching point to the hardwood.
 
Trailing two sets to none, the Wildcats blitzed the Cavilers in the third set. Following the night's trend, Central Washington jumped out to another 3-0 lead with every intention of holding it. Sabrina Wheelhouse opened the set with a kill and registered five points through the third act, and finished the night with 13 kills and a .722 hitting percentage. Wheelhouse made sure the Wildcats weren't going to lose three straight sets as she hammered home the final point to prolong the night.
 
The Wildcats used an 8-3 run in the fourth set to even the match at two sets apiece. With the score 17-12, Jones, Wheelhouse and Catie Fry registered kills en route to the win. Fry dished out 52 assists, which marks the third time this season the senior setter has reached the 50 assists plateau.
 
The Wildcats amped up the intensity in the fifth set. With momentum on their side, they raced out to another lead, this time the scoreboard read 9-1. Jones got the party started and kept it going with three kills in the early run. The Cavilers brought the score as close as 11-8 before the Wildcats took the win behind a Firethorne kill, and a Kaitlin Quirk block.
 
The Wildcats will return home to battle a pair of Alaskan schools as the face the University of Alaska Fairbanks next Thursday (Oct. 8) and the University of Alaska Anchorage next Saturday (Oct. 10). Both matches are set for 7 p.m. in Nicholson Pavilion.