FAIRBANKS, Alaska (Nov. 7) – The Central Washington University volleyball team closed out its Alaska road trip with a 3-1 (25-20, 25-23, 21-25, 25-15) victory of the University of Alaska. The victory elevates the Wildcats to a 17-6 record, with a 13-3 mark in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. 

"Every match is a playoff match from here on out and If we don't approach it that way we could find ourselves left out," CWU Head Coach Mario Andaya said.  "I really liked our urgency to compete against a good Alaska team.  Anything can happen in the conference and we are playing with that awareness."  
 
Neither team found a rhythm in the first set as both teams hit under .100.  Central registered 11 kills on 42 attempts for a hitting efficiency of .095.  The Wildcats held the Nanooks to a hitting efficiency of .026. 
 
Central Washington picked up at least two consecutive points six times in the first set.
 
After a slow offensive first set the Wildcats bounced back to hit .303 in the second set, .308 in the third set, and .370 in the first set. 
 
Kiah Jones and Sabrina Wheelhouse each posted hitting efficiencies over .400.  Wheelhouse posted 10 kills, on 16 attempts, for a hitting efficiency of .438.  Jones picked up 12 kills, on 26 attempts, with just one error, to hit .423. 

"Kiah was very steady for us tonight and Sab was a strong presence at the net for us," Andaya noted afterward.

 
After a 4-0 run by Fairbanks, giving the Nanooks a 7-5 lead, Central recorded seven of the next eight points taking a 12-8 lead.
 
Later in the set, the Nanooks pulled within one, 18-17, on a service ace by Sam Harthun.  The Wildcats responded with a three-point run, extending their lead to 22-18.  Fairbanks took the next three points, again pulling within one. 
 
The two sides alternated taking the final five points, with Linden Firethorne closing the set with a kill.
 
Firethorne finished with a team high 14 kills.
 
The Nanooks' offense found an extra cylinder in the third set, hitting an unprecedented .480.  After pulling even early, 2-2, the Nanooks to a 3-2 lead and would not trail in the set, holding off multiple runs by the Wildcats, and taking their only set in the match.
 
Central dropped the first two points in the fourth set, but claimed the next three.  Trailing 5-7, the Wildcats took three straight points to lead 8-7. 
 
After falling behind 9-8, the Wildcats went on a six-point run, taking a14-9 advantage.  They then went on a 5-0 run minutes later, brining their advantage to 22-14.
 
Harthun recorded a kill on the next point for the Nanooks, but it was a mere speed bump, as the Wildcats claimed the next three points for their 17^th victory of the season. 

Catie Fry recorded 36 assists, 10 digs, and five kills.

"Our defense and passers are working hard for Catie and she is coming through putting our hitters in good situations," Andaya said.  
 
Wheelhouse added seven block assists. 
 
The Wildcats will be back in Nicholson Pavilion for their next two matches.  They host Saint Martin's University on Nov. 12 at 7 p.m., before taking on Seattle Pacific on Nov. 14, also at 7 p.m.