ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Nicholson Pavilion was loaded with fans of the Central Washington University volleyball team as it hosted Northwest Nazarene University. The Wildcats deleted a 2-0 set lead for the Nighthawks before falling 3-2 (22-25, 24-26, 25-9, 29-27, 11-15) on Tuesday night. 
 
Statistically, the Wildcats (8-7, 3-4) owned the Nighthawks (7-7, 3-4) throughout the contest. Offensively, the Wildcats drilled 69 kills to the Nighthawks' 52. Gabrielle Aihara and Sydney Remsberg teamed up for 64 assists as Aihara led the way with 33. Defensively, the Wildcats had 15 total blocks and scooped up 87 digs. Ultimately, the Wildcats hindered their own performance by committing 31 attack errors. 
 
"We played better than we have been and had a little more offense than the last two matches," CWU Head Coach Mario Andaya said. "Defensively we looked okay, but with 31 errors is not going to help us at all in those tight sets. We had some good leads in most sets except for the fifth. We are not going to win a lot of ball games hitting the ball out of bounds." 
 
The Nighthawks opened the first set with a 9-4 run. A service error opened the door for the Wildcats to put together a run of their own. Makala Swart had a pair of kills that were the start of a 10-3 run that gave the Wildcats a 14-12 set lead. The two teams traded points before the Nighthawks tied the game at 18. The visitors put together just enough to take the set 25-22 on the back of a late 6-4 run. 
 
The second set was tightly contested in the early stages. The score was tied at 5 before the Wildcats used a 5-1 run to earn a 10-6 lead. The Nighthawks answered with a 6-1 run that gave them a 12-11 lead. A Another big run was in store, this time from the Wildcats. Lexi Schamadan started a 6-2 run with a kill. The run gave the Wildcats a 17-14 lead. The Nighthawks were able to mirror that run and take a 20-19 lead. 
 
More point trading took place as the Wildcats found themselves trailing 24-22. A kill from Schamadan and a Nighthawk attack error tied the set at 24. The Nighthawks found the two points they need to take the set 26-24 and gain a 2-0 match lead.  
 
The Wildcats dominated the third set and would go on to take it 25-9. During that set, the team hit an outstanding .538 while holding the Nighthawks to a -.067 hitting percentage. Diana Fa'amausili and Ashley Kaufman came alive during the set. Both smashed home three kills and were key in a successful offensive third set for the Wildcats. 
 
"We didn't change much," Coach Andaya said. "We have some new things going on that we put in. We stayed the course with that and started settling in to it and pretty encouraged about that. I thought some new players that stepped in. Lexi [Schamadan] did a great job and Sydney [Remsberg] did a great job setting."
 
The Nighthawks responded with a 9-5 run to open the fourth set. The Wildcats wiggled their way into tying the set at 12 after a 7-3 run. Fa'amausili and Swart had two kills during that span. 
 
The teams gave shorts spurts of offense to one another as the Wildcats again found themselves trailing 22-20 in the late stages of the set. A kill from Swart helped the clawing Wildcats tie the match at 24. A kill from Brooke Foster set the Nighthawks up for match point. Swart had another huge kill to tie the set at 25. The very next point was handed to the Nighthawks on a service error from Swart. Kaufman stepped up and sent home a kill that tied the set at 26. 
 
A pair of attack errors landed the fourth set in a 27-27 tie. Again, it was Kaufman who buried a kill that led to set point for the Wildcats. A Nighthawk attack error helped the Wildcats force a fifth and deciding set. 
 
The Nighthawks were able to inch away from the Wildcats in the final set. The Nighthawks were able to score two consecutive points four times in the final set. The scoring gave them a 15-11 set win as they took the match 15-11 overall. 
 
"I was really encouraged on how we stared improving in the things we put in," Coach Andaya said. "There is a silver line to some of this, but with the loss, it's tough."
 
Four Wildcats finished the match with double figure kills. Swart had a dominate night for the Wildcats. She led the team with 19 kills on a .250 hitting percentage. Swart added five total blocks with nine digs. Bridgette Webb played well, totaling 12 kills and six total blocks. Kaufman and Fa'amausili finished with 11 kills. Kaufman added 17 digs for a double-double.
 
Defensively Julia Mellander led the Wildcats with seven total blocks. Kyla Morgan led the team with 27 digs. Remsberg had 13 digs along with 27 assists for a double-double. 
 
Nicholson Pavilion was packed, as 712 Wildcat fans took in the game. The atmosphere was noticed by Coach Andaya. 
 
"That was cool," Coach Andaya added. "The crowd was good. Everybody is encouraging, the student body and the other sport teams that are out there rooting on the girls. That's a pretty cool community that we got. But it's nice to fire each other up for sure, hopefully return the favor and support some these sports teams that are out here." 
 
The Wildcats return to Nicholson Pavilion on Thursday when the team hosts Montana State University Billings at 7 p.m.