ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Sept. 14) – The Central Washington University volleyball team picked up its first Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory of the season with a 3-1 win over Northwest Nazarene University.  The Wildcats improve to 5-3 on the season and 1-0 in the GNAC, while the Crusaders fall to 3-6 on the season with a 0-1 mark in GNAC play.  Central Washington is now on a five-game winning streak.
 
The Wildcats opened the first set with a 6-3 lead, before the Crusaders were able to even the score at 7-7.  Northwest Nazarene took the lead and held it, extending their advantage to 18-14.  Central Washington stormed back and went on a 5-0 run, which started with a kill from Kaitlin Quirk.  The 5-0 run gave the Wildcats a 19-18 advantage. Northwest Nazarene was able to even the score on a kill by Jenna Caywood. 
 
After a kill from Linden Firethorne and one from NNU's Taylor VanValey, CWU picked up three consecutive points with a kill and a pair of aces from Firethorne to take a 23-20 advantage.  Madison Weg added back-to-back kills a point later to end the set, 25-21.
 
Weg ended the first set with seven kills. 
 
"I was feeling really good," Weg noted afterward.  "It felt really good to come out on the court and grab a win in the first set.  I was just trying to hit high and bring the team together every swing."
 
She totaled 13 kills on just 20 attempts, with one error, for a hitting percentage of .600.
 
"Madison didn't play like a freshman," Head Coach Mario Andaya said.  "She is still learning as she goes, but with what she knows now she is really going after it.  If she makes a mistake she comes back and contributes in some way.  It really comes from her approach in practice that carries to the games.  She has come through in some big moments for us and it is fun to see."
 
Northwest Nazarene University stormed out to an 11-2 lead in the second set.   The Crusaders started with a 7-0 run, before they posted a 5-0 run a few points later.  Central Washington went on a 4-0 to cut the deficit midway through the set, but it would not be enough, as NNU took the set 25-13 to even the match 1-1.
 
"In set two we came out tentative," Andaya said.  "NNU was solid on the block and we knew they were going to be a good blocking team.  We let that get us out of our game a bit. We played to keep the ball going and that cost us.  In set three our approach was getting back to the way we train and the way we play.  We stayed aggressive, attacked our opponent and got them out of their defense.  We stayed the course and it really changed the complexity on our side of the net."
 
The first 11 points of the third set alternated back and forth between the two teams.  Central Washington grabbed three consecutive sets to break the seesaw action and take an 8-5 lead.  After a point by NNU, the Wildcats outscored the Crusaders 4-1, helped along by a pair of kills from Weg.
 
With the score 12-7 NNU picked up three points, to draw the set to 12-10, but CWU battled back with two of its own.  The Wildcats picked up another 3-0 run to bring the set to 17-11.
 
The two sides alternated points from 18-12 until the Wildcats closed out the set with a 3-0 run, 25-17. 


Central Washington took the momentum and did not look back following set three.  After taking a 4-3 lead in the fourth set, the Wildcats would not lose their advantage or draw even.  The fourth set included five 3-0 runs and one 4-0 run for CWU.
 
"It's crucial to get the first win, especially at home," Andaya said.  "We need to make sure our presence is known early in the season.  NNU is a solid team and they are going to be fighting at the end."
 
Firethorne finished with 13 kills, while Sabrina Wheelhouse added 12.  Wheelhouse also added one solo block and six block assists.  Catie Fry dished out 45 assists on the night and added four kills.
 
The Wildcats will take their five-game winning streak to Billings, Montana on Thursday to take on the Yellowjackets.  The match is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. PST.