ELLENSBURG, Wash. - The Central Washington University volleyball team controlled the pace Saturday evening, defeating the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves in four sets (25-16, 23-25, 25-15, 25-12) to wrap up the 2023 home campaign.
 
Ahead of the first serve, the Wildcats honored the following four seniors, all of whom had a big game on the court: Tia Andaya, Emma Daoud-Hebert, Ashley Kaufman, and Kylie Thorne.
 
NOTABLE STATS
Daoud-Hebert had a massive night for the Wildcats, recording a team-high 12 kills and 12 blocks for her first career double-double. Andaya led the 'Cats in assists with 38 assists, adding four kills and six digs.
 
Thorne had an efficient night at the net, registering nine kills on 22 attempts. Scottie Ellsworth and Ellie Marble chipped in too, putting up nine and eight kills respectively. Hannah Stires led the team in digs with 19.
 
QUOTING HEAD COACH MARIO ANDAYA
"It was a great way to finish out at home this year. Our seniors are so special and they showed how impactful they all are tonight. Each one contributed with highlight plays in this win which makes it even more special. I am so happy for them."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Down 4-5 early in the first set, the Wildcats went on a five-point run, finished by a block from Daoud-Hebert and Andaya, to make it 9-5. Later on, the lead would continue to grow as the 'Cats took six of the next seven as the score jumped to 20-10.
 
A kill from Kaufman pushed the team to set point. The Seawolves earned one more point before a Morgan Halady solo block ended the first frame 25-16.
 
The Seawolves responded in the second as the Wildcats fell behind 4-7. UAA expanded their lead with a four-point run to make it 12-15. A Daoud-Hebert kill got the Wildcats within two points at 19-21, but that's as close as they'd get before UAA took the set.
 
The Wildcats jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the third frame with Stires at the service line. UAA cut the deficit to three at 11-8 before the 'Cats got hot. An extended stretch where the Wildcat defense kept the Seawolves in check made it 20-9.
 
The lead would prove too strong for a UAA comeback, as the Wildcats kept trading points. Thorne got the Wildcats to set point before a Seawolves attack error finished the set in favor of CWU 25-15.
 
UAA looked sharp at the beginning of the fourth set as the 'Cats found themselves down at 5-6. Similar to the third frame, the Wildcats used a dominant stretch to take an unforgiving lead at 14-7, capitalized by a kill from Halady.
 
The momentum just continued for the Wildcats as the Seawolves struggled to string points together. Up 19-12, CWU stopped UAA from scoring another point. The 'Cats took the final six points, finished with back-to-back kills from Daoud-Hebert, to win the final set 25-12.
 
UP NEXT
With the win, the Wildcats advance to 18-6, 12-4 GNAC, and extend the team's winning streak to six games. The 'Cats will look ahead to the final weekend of the regular season next week with road matchups scheduled at Simon Fraser and Western Washington.