SEATTLE, Wash. - The Central Washington University Wildcat volleyball team (10-6, 8-2 GNAC) was defeated by the Seattle Pacific University Falcon (5-13, 5-5 GNAC) Thursday night in Seattle, Wash. by a score of 3-1.

Quoting Head Coach Mario Andaya 
"SPU did a great job converting out of system and Hannah (Hair) was tough as always. We had chances but had too many breakdowns in spurts that made it an uphill battle all night. Offensively we did decent but even so we couldn't put the ball down enough giving SPU more chances to score." 

How It Happened 
The Wildcats won set one 25-21, and remained close in all contests but couldn't catch enough momentum as the Falcon won set two (25-23), set three (25-21), and set four (25-23) to take the match.  

The 'Cats were led offensively by Marianna Payne, who earned a double-double with 15 kills and 11 digs. Team leaders also include Hannah Stires (13 digs), Kayleigh-Shay Chang (22 assists and five service aces), as well as Scottie Ellsworth, Morgan Halady, and Emma Daoud-Hebert, who all led the team in blocks with 1.5 each. 

The match started with Seattle Pacific scoring the first point, but Central answered with three straight points. This process repeated twice as the Wildcats led 9-3. The Falcons then scored four points to cut the lead to two points. CWU answered with two more before SPU caught a stride, scoring six points in a row to take a 13-11 lead. The 'Cats responded with three points to reclaim the lead. The teams traded a few points to be tied at 15-15. Then Central went on a 9-3 run to force set point at 24-18. The Falcons scored three points, but the comeback attempt fell short on an attack error from Erin Smith that won the set for the Wildcats 25-21. 

The second set began in a more evenly fought competition as both teams traded points with CWU holding a narrow lead for most of the first half of the set. Then, while trailing 10-9, the Falcon hit a four-point streak to take a 13-10 lead. The teams traded the next few points as SPU held a steady lead. The Falcons then scored another four-point streak to lead 21-15. After trading a point each, the 'Cats scored four points of their own to trail by two. SPU would force set point with the score at 24-21. Central scored two points to trail 24-23, but that's as far as they got as a kill from Hannah Hair closed out the set 25-23 and tied the match at one set each. 

Seattle Pacific scored three quick points to start the third set. CWU answered with a 5-1 run to take the lead 5-4 before SPU responded with two more to retake the lead. A sequence began as the Wildcats scored one to tie and was responded to with a group of points for the Falcons as an 8-2 run ensued and the SPU lead quickly turned into a 14-8 score. The teams traded the next few points and then with the score at 17-12, Central scored four straight points to trail by one. The set became a neck-and-neck battle as both teams remained within two points of each other. SPU got an edge, scoring two points to lead 23-20. Payne would get a kill for the Wildcats, but a pair of errors closed out the set with the Falcons winning 25-21. 

CWU scored the first two points of set four, but the Falcons answered with four points to take the lead. The 'Cats tied with two more and the teams began trading points to stay within a point of each other. Central then caught a stride, scoring three points to lead 10-8. SPU fought back and tied the set at 11-11. The Wildcats would not be deterred, scoring three more points to lead 14-11. The Falcons were able to keep the score close and eventually tied the set at 18-18 off an Allison Wilks kill. CWU would score the next three points to lead 21-18, but the Falcons responded with four points to take a one-point lead. The 'Cats tied it at 22-22 off a Carissa Stratman kill, but SPU scored the next two to force match point. Stratman got another kill to trail 24-23, but Smith earned redemption for her set one losing error by getting the match-winning kill 25-23 as the Falcons defeated the Wildcats 3-1. 

Up Next 
The Crimson and Black travel east over the Rocky Mountains to take on the Montana State Billings Yellowjackets (7-13, 0-10 GNAC) on Saturday, Oct 26. First serve from Alterowitz Gymnasium is at 1 p.m. MDT.