LA JOLLA, Calif. (Sept. 9) – The Central Washington University volleyball team recorded its third-straight win with a 3-1 (25-23, 25-20, 23-25, 25-17) over Cal Poly Pomona.  Central is now 3-4 on the season and 3-0 at the Division II West Region Showcase.  The Broncos are also 3-4.
 
Trailing 8-11 in the first set, Shelby Mauritson recorded three straight kills to even up the first set.  Three points later, Kiah Jones gave the Wildcats a 13-12 lead with a kill.
 
Mauritson finished with a team high 15 kills and a hitting efficiency of .333.  She added three block assists and 12 digs to her score line as well.
 
"Pretty good day for us," CWU Head Coach Mario Andaya said.  "Shelby and Kiah grinded out some points for us all day.  I liked how hard we worked all day and how we stayed aggressive."
 
Three consecutive points by the Broncos gave the edge back to Pomona, but kills from Jones and Madison Weg put the two sides at level pegging.
 
The see-saw first set continued until the Wildcats notched three consecutive points, on two kills from Erin Little and a block by Little and Mauritson, for a 23-20 lead.  Jones closed the set with a kill in Central's favor, 25-23.
 
Jones finished the match with 13 kills and a hitting percentage of .303.  She also recorded one solo block and four block assists.
 
Central stormed out to a 5-1 lead in set two.  The Wildcats expanded that lead to 10-4, but the Broncos closed the gap to 10-8.
 
The Wildcats took five of the next eight points for a 14-10 advantage and they would not look back, keeping the Broncos at arm's length for the remainder of the second set and a 25-20 win.
 
A 7-3 lead in the third set dissolved when the Broncos brought themselves within one at 7-6.  Pomona took it's a lead that it did not relinquish at 13-12 after exchanging points with Central.  The Broncos claimed the third set, 25-22.
 
The fourth set was tightly contested for the first 18 points, with Central sneaking out a 10-8 lead.  The Wildcats clicked back into gear and claimed points in bunches four times, including a five-point run for a 23-14 advantage.  Central claimed a 25-17 win in set four, winning the match 3-1.
 
"We were a little shaky on defense to start the last match," Andaya added.  "They stayed the course and got a better for the game as it went on."
 
Little finished the match with one solo block and five block assists, accompanied by five kills. Weg notched 10 kills.  Gaby Aihara recorded 25 assists and eight digs.  Nikole Cook dished out 19 assists and five digs.  Libero Kyla Morgan had a team high 14 digs.
 
"Shelby, Kyla, and Lindsey were rocks for us back there," Andaya noted.  "Can't say enough about our setters and the role they are taking on.  They are very smart people and are determined to learn each day."
 
The Wildcats are back in action for their final match of the Division II West Region Showcase tomorrow (Sept. 10) at 10 a.m. against UC San Diego.