ELLENSBURG, Wash. – After extending their winning streak to 10 matches with a pair of home sweeps last week, the Central Washington University volleyball team hits the road for a pivotal weekend in the GNAC standings. The Wildcats will face second-place No. 25 Seattle Pacific on Thursday before traveling to Montana State Billings on Saturday. Entering the week, CWU sits atop the conference standings at 11-2 in GNAC play and holds a one-match lead over the Falcons.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 
Thursday, Oct. 29
Central Washington at #25 Seattle Pacific
7:00 p.m.
Royal Brougham Pavilion
Seattle, Wash.
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Saturday, Oct. 31
Central Washington at Montana State Billings
12:00 p.m.
Alterowitz Gymnasium
Billings, Mont.
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LAST WEEKEND:

Central Washington improved to 15-4 overall and 11-2 in GNAC play with a pair of dominant home sweeps. The Wildcats opened the week with a 25-11, 25-13, 25-19 victory over Saint Martin's, hitting .337 as a team while limiting the Saints to a .134 hitting percentage. Kennedy Webb led the offense with 10 kills, while Ellie Marble and Kailey Willsey added nine apiece. CWU followed that performance with a 25-13, 25-13, 25-21 sweep of Western Oregon, posting a blistering .407 team hitting percentage and holding the Wolves to just .021 hitting. Willsey paced the attack with 14 kills, Marble added 10, and Corinne Westby contributed eight as the Wildcats stretched their winning streak to 11 consecutive matches.
 
Leading the defensive effort throughout the week was sophomore libero Brooklyn Parker, who was named GNAC Defensive Player of the Week. The Allen, Texas, native totaled 31 digs across the two victories, averaging 5.17 digs per set while helping anchor a Wildcat defense that held opponents to a combined .077 hitting percentage. Parker recorded a match-high 18 digs and two service aces against Saint Martin's before adding 13 digs and another ace versus Western Oregon. She also contributed two reception assists and committed just one reception error during the week as Central maintained sole possession of first place in the GNAC standings.
 

SCOUTING THE FALCONS:
 
Thursday's matchup features the GNAC's top two teams, with Central holding a one-match lead over Seattle Pacific in the conference standings. The Falcons enter the week at 15-5 overall and 10-2 in GNAC play, having won eight of their last nine matches. Their only conference losses this season have come against Alaska Anchorage and CWU. The Wildcats earned a straight-set victory over SPU on Oct. 3 in Ellensburg, winning 25-21, 39-37, 25-13, but the Falcons have responded with five straight wins over Simon Fraser, Western Washington, Saint Martin's, Western Oregon, and Montana State Billings.
 
Seattle Pacific boasts one of the conference's most balanced attacks, hitting .235 as a team while averaging 12.99 kills per set. Amaya Evans leads the Falcons with 219 kills and a .303 hitting percentage, while Megan Omlid has added 206 kills and Audra Rose has contributed 160 kills and a team-high 76 total blocks. Peyton Ensign directs the offense with 538 assists, and Christina Lopez anchors the back row with 320 digs. As a team, SPU ranks among the GNAC leaders in hitting percentage, service aces, and blocks, setting up a pivotal showdown with conference title implications.
 

SCOUTING THE YELLOWJACKETS:

Montana State Billings enters the weekend at 4-18 overall and 0-12 in GNAC play as the Yellowjackets continue their search for a first conference victory. MSUB recently snapped a six-match losing streak with a non-conference sweep of Rocky Mountain College before falling in straight sets to Seattle Pacific on Saturday. Earlier this season, Central Washington earned a 3-0 sweep of the Yellowjackets in Ellensburg and will look to complete the season series in Billings.
 
Allie Dorman leads the MSUB offense with 236 kills and an average of 3.03 kills per set, while Emma Fairbairn has added 180 kills. Setter Avery Starr has dished out 474 assists, and Avarey Stuff paces the defensive effort with 217 digs. The Yellowjackets are averaging 10.09 kills per set with a .139 team hitting percentage and have faced one of the toughest schedules in the conference. Central will look to use Saturday's matchup as an opportunity to maintain momentum in the GNAC title race before entering the final stretch of the regular season.