ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Wildcats volleyball team defeated the Northwest Nazarene University Nighthawks Saturday afternoon by a score of 3-1.  

Quoting Head Coach Mario Andaya  
"It was nice to see us get through shared adversity and come through as a team. NNU was playing good defense and got us a bit uncomfortable at the net, but we found key kills at the end to pull out the win. Emma was a big force for us and had several key plays to stabilize the team. K-Shay also had some significant moments not just setting but also on the block and offensively."  

How It Happened  
The Wildcats won set one 25-17, but the Nighthawks fought back to win set two 25-22 and tie the match. However, CWU would win sets three 25-19, and four 27-25 to claim the victory. Marianna Payne led the team in kills with 16 total, while Emma Daoud-Hebert led in hitting percentage with a .406 average, and blocks earning 4.5 total. Kayleigh-Shay Chang led with 36 total assists. Hannah Stires and Ellie Marble held down the defensive side of the ball with Stires recording 21 digs and Marble right behind with 20 digs.  

The match began evenly with both teams trading points. Central got the first edge as they led 8-6. NNU fought back as both teams scored. Then the 'Cats scored four in a row. NNU scored a point, but CWU answered with five more points to take a 19-9 lead. The Nighthawks fought to chip away at the lead as they scored in multi-point runs, but the margin was too much to overcome as Daoud-Hebert shut the door with a kill that won set one 25-17. 

The second set saw NNU get an early edge with a 6-3 run. The Wildcats got a point off an error, but the Nighthawks answered with four straight points to lead 10-4. Central responded with four of their own to bring the score back within two points. The teams traded points and NNU kept its lead as they got a streak of three points. CWU answered with two, but the Nighthawks began to build a rhythm, now leading 17-12. NNU built on the lead by answering each Wildcat point with two of their own. Then with the score at 21-14, the 'Cats began a run that would bring them within two points at 24-22. The comeback fell short though as a block from Jenna Holm and Gabi Moore won the set for the Nighthawks 25-22.

Central got the early start for the third set going on a 7-3 run. NNU answered with a 4-1 run to bring the score to within one. The set became a neck-and-neck battle as both teams traded points, and the Nighthawks remained behind CWU. The Wildcats got some good luck, getting a four-point streak to lead 15-11. The teams went back to trading points as the 'Cats kept a steady lead. Then the Nighthawks scored three points to trail 20-17. Central answered with one point and NNU scored two more, but the Crimson and Black caught the finishing stride and scored four straight to win the set 25-19.  

Both teams traded points to start the fourth set as the score would tie at 4-4. The Wildcats got the first edge, scoring three to lead 7-4. The Nighthawks responded with a 4-1 run to tie it back up at 8-8. CWU scored two points and NNU equalized. The set remained a tightly fought battle as both teams got an edge just to be answered with an equalizing response and this continued into the final points. Tied at 22-22, NNU scored two to force set point. The 'Cats answered and tied it at 24. Then the Nighthawks scored to take advantage. However, the Crimson and Black persevered and responded with a kill from Daoud-Hebert, then a block from Daoud-Hebert and Marble, and finally, Marble got the ball into the gap where the Nighthawks couldn't recover. As Central closed out the set 27-25 and won the match 3-1. 

Up Next  
The Wildcats are home next when they face off against the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves on Thursday, Nov 7 at 7:00 p.m. from the Nicholson Arena.