ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Sept. 29) – The Central Washington University volleyball team hit .358 on its way to a 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-14) sweep of Saint Martin's University.  The Wildcats are now 8-5 on the year and 4-1 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  The Saints fall to 5-4 overall and 1-4 in the GNAC.
 
"We stepped up offensively," CWU Head Coach Mario Andaya said.  "We stayed aggressive on offensive and tried to end rallies quickly and it worked out."
 
The match featured Saint Martin's head coach Jonathan Killingbeck facing off againt Andaya, who Killingbeck coached under during his time at Central Washington.  Alongside Killingbeck was former Wildcat defensive specialist Lauren Herseth. 
 
"Jon has made a name for himself after leaving Central," Andaya said of his former assistant.  "He has a passion for Central and opened a lot of doors for himself.  He has a volleyball mind and had done some good things.  It looks like Saint Martin's is buying in to what he's doing, as they should be.  Lauren will be a great really good coach.  She already is and if she stays on this path I think she will take it up another level." 
 
The Saints led early in the first set 3-2, but the Wildcats took seven of the next eight points for a 9-4 lead.
 
A four-point run later in the set put the Wildcats up 16-8.  Saint Martins took a four-point stretch of their own, cutting the deficit to 18-14. 
 
The Saints tried to battle back, but Central Washington kept them at arms reach in the waning points of the first set.  Erin Little grabbed the final point with a kill for a 25-20 set win.
 
A six-point run in the second set gave Saint Martin's a 14-8 lead.  The Wildcats responded with three straight points, cutting the Saints' lead to 14-11.  After a kill by Illiani Kamaka, Maidson Weg jump started another three consecutive points and the Wildcats trailed by only one.  Central levelled the set at 18-18 on a kill by Sabrina Wheelhouse. 
 
Saint Martin's pulled ahead with small advantages twice, but Central erased the lead both times.  Trailing 23-22, Kiah Jones and Weg notched three straight kills for a 25-23 set victory and a 2-0 lead.
 
"Maddy has been a go to for us, the setters did a really good job identifying her matchups and what she was doing towards the end of the sets and match," Andaya noted.  "The setters did a good job getting her the ball."
 
The third set started close with each side staking out small leads that the opposition then washed away.  The Wildcats pulled ahead 12-8 after taking four consecutive points.  Jordan Deming, Shelby Mauritson, and Weg notched kills in the run.
 
Central Washington grabbed points in pairs throughout the third set, finishing the set at 25-14. 
 
Weg finished with 15 kills and a hitting efficiency of .464.  Jones notched 12 kills and a .409 efficiency.  Wheelhouse had nine kills and a hitting percentage of .600, while Little added eight kills and a hitting efficiency of .636.  The Wildcats finished with a .358 hitting efficiency as a unit.  Gaby Aihara dished out 27 assists, while Nikki Cook added 19.  Kyla Morgan recorded a team high 11 digs. 
 
"We wanted to make a statement, not necessarily against Saint Martin's," Andaya acknowledged.  "But we wanted to come out and play more efficiently.  I think we had a better flow than we have been and it paid dividends.  Gaby and Nikki just look comfortable out there.  During training and practicing they show a bit more youth because they ask more questions or there are a few more mistakes.  They are putting in the work and it shows.  I am proud of them."
 
Central is back in action on Saturday (Oct. 1) as the Wildcats host Montana State Billings.  First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Nicholson Pavilion.