ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University volleyball team (17-5, 13-2 GNAC) got a huge win Thursday night, after upsetting No. 18 Alaska Fairbanks (20-5, 11-4 GNAC) in five sets in front of an ecstatic Nicholson Arena crowd to extend its lead in the GNAC standings.
 
Quoting Head Coach Mario Andaya
"The team found a rhythm as the match went on and got comfortable in the heat of competition. At first, we played uncharacteristically and weren't doing the normal things we do in practice. We got better in chaos and started to take swings. Scottie and Ella started to find kills and the setters did great job working for their hitters. It was such a cool thing to see our team respond and work for each other. It's awesome it ended in a win."
 
How It Happened
The Wildcats dropped the first two sets, including the second set going into extra frames, before coming back and winning the next three sets in very competitive battles, as the Crimson and Black ultimately won the final set by only two points to defeat the No. 18 team in the country.
 
The Wildcats had a strong offensive performance from Scottie Ellsworth, who led with 24 kills, followed by Ella Bines with 13 and Kailey Willsey with 12. Kayleigh-Shay Chang kept the offense producing with 35 assists, followed by Addie Allen with 27. Brooklyn Parker had the only ace that CWU was able to produce against the Nanooks, while Parker also led in digs with 28, followed by Ellie Marble with 19. It was a defensive battle at the net all night with Mackenzie Godden leading the 'Cats with eight total blocks, followed by Marble and Willsey with each recording six.
 
Alaska opened the match with 6-3 run to take the early lead. Central fought back to cut the lead to one, but UAF responded with a 5-1 run to make it a 13-8 lead. Both teams battled back and forth as the Nanooks held a convincing lead. The Wildcats got a point from Willsey to make it a 15-21 game, but that's as close as they got as UAF scored the next four points to win set one 25-15.
 
CWU found the early edge this time around with a quick 4-1 run. The Nanooks battled back and kept the game close as the 'Cats held a narrow lead. Alaska eventually tied the game with a 4-1 run of its own as the score held at 10-10. Once again, Central found a way to build a lead with a 4-1 run of its own. The Wildcats held the lead throughout the middle of the set. Then, trailing 17-19, UAF found its rhythm and scored five unanswered points to take a 21-19 lead. CWU finally responded and retook the lead and found set point at 24-23. The Nanooks tied, though, and the teams fell into a dead heat as neither gave up as the score went into extra time. The Wildcats then forced advantage at 29-28, but Alaska found its answers and scored three straight points to take set two 31-29 and take the 2-0 lead in the match.
 
The third set appeared more in Central's favor with the 'Cats taking a quick 6-2 lead. UAF fought back, but CWU kept the pressure on, building the lead to 10-5. The Nanooks found two quick points to cut the lead to three, but then, the Wildcats found their chance and scored seven unanswered points to make it a 10-point game. Alaska, however, found a stride of its own, going on a 9-2 run to make it a 16-19 game. The Crimson and Black didn't let up once it found its offensive chances again, going on a 5-3 run to force set point. UAF got another point but could not keep the ensuing serve in the CWU zone as a service error gave the Wildcats a 25-20 win in set three to stay alive.
 
Both teams battle fiercely to open the fourth set with the score being tied up to 7-7. Central found the first edge, scoring three points to take a 10-7 lead. The teams traded points as the 'Cats held the narrow lead as the score reached the midpoint of the set. Then, while trailing 13-15, the Nanooks got two quick points to tie the game at 15-15. The teams then went back into trading points and kept the score close as the teams fell into a 23-23 tie. Central found its opportunities after, though, and got two points to win set four 25-23 and force the decisive set five.
 
Alaska had a strong opening to set five, as the Nanooks got out to an early 4-2 lead. Central responded and tied it up, then the teams went back to trading points again as UAF held a narrow lead. Then, Alaska found three points to make it a 9-6 lead. The Wildcats responded with a 3-2 run to cut the lead to two. The Nanooks got another point, but then, CWU's offense came alive and scored four straight points to take a 13-12 lead. An attack from Ellsworth gave UAF the tying point at 13-13. However, the Crimson and Black found a way to finish and score the next two points to claim the victory from the clutches of the Nanooks 15-13 to achieve the reverse sweep and upset Alaska.
 
Up Next
The Wildcats prepare for the home finale of the season this Saturday, Nov. 15., as they host the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves for Senior Night. First serve from Nicholson Arena is set for 7:00 p.m.