Central Washington University Athletics

SEATTLE, Wash. - The Central Washington University volleyball team remained atop the GNAC standings Thursday night, earning a hard-fought five-set road victory over Seattle Pacific, 24-26, 25-18, 27-25, 21-25, 21-19, at Royal Brougham Pavilion.
 
Quoting Head Coach Lauren Herseth
"What a game! That was a full team effort and everyone showed incredible grit. SPU challenged us on both sides of the ball, but we stayed focused on winning one rally at a time. Corinne came up big in big moments and to have a career high 26 kills against a very good opponent is awesome."
 
How It Happened
Central Washington overcame a 73-68 disadvantage in kills by controlling the match in several other key areas, finishing with an 18-12 edge in blocks while adding five service aces and 84 digs. The Wildcats responded after dropping the opening set, claimed the second and third frames, and then survived a decisive fifth set to earn the victory over the conference's second-place team.
 
Corinne Westby delivered a career-high 26 kills and added three blocks to lead the Wildcat attack. Ellie Marble recorded a double-double with 17 kills and 20 digs, while Kennedy Webb chipped in 11 kills. Kailey Willsey anchored Central at the net with 10 total blocks, and Mackenzie Godden contributed seven blocks. Kayleigh-Shay Chang dished out 38 assists and three service aces, Addie Allen added 23 assists, and Brooklyn Parker paced all players with 26 digs.
 
First Set
Central came out strong and built a 16-12 lead behind kills from Corinne Westby, Kennedy Webb, and Ellie Marble, aided by a stretch of dominant net play that featured three Wildcat blocks. Seattle Pacific slowly chipped away, trimming the deficit before the teams were tied at 20-20. A Marble kill and a block by Kailey Willsey and Webb helped Central move within a point of the set at 24-22, but the Falcons answered with four straight points. An Omlid kill tied the set at 24-24 before she delivered a service ace on set point to give Seattle Pacific a 26-24 victory and a 1-0 match lead.
 
Second Set
After the teams traded points early, Central seized control with an 8-1 run to turn a 4-4 tie into a 12-5 advantage. Westby sparked the surge with multiple kills while Tri and Willsey teamed up for several blocks that frustrated the Falcon attack. The Wildcats continued to extend the lead throughout the middle portion of the set, getting kills from Marble, Webb, and Tri to stretch the margin to 22-15. A Chang service ace pushed Central closer to the finish line, and Marble ended the set with a kill as the Wildcats secured a 25-18 win to even the match.
 
Third Set
The third set was tightly contested from the start, with neither team leading by more than three points for most of the frame. A Chang ace gave Central a 9-6 lead, but Seattle Pacific answered and eventually tied the set at 15-15. The Wildcats regained momentum behind kills from Westby and Marble and later took a 24-23 lead, only to see the Falcons fight off set point. After the score reached 25-25, Central turned to Westby, who delivered consecutive kills to close the set and give the Wildcats a hard-earned 27-25 victory.
 
Fourth Set
Seattle Pacific grabbed the momentum early in the fourth set and gradually built separation after a 10-10 tie. The Falcons used a balanced attack to move ahead 15-10 before Central responded with kills from Webb and Marble to stay within striking distance. Seattle Pacific continued to side out effectively and maintained its advantage at 21-17. The Wildcats were unable to string together a late run as the Falcons closed out a 25-21 win, forcing a decisive fifth set.
 
Fifth Set
The final set featured eight ties and several momentum swings. Central jumped ahead 4-2 behind consecutive kills from Webb, but Seattle Pacific responded with a 7-3 run to claim a 9-7 lead. Westby fueled the Wildcats' comeback with three kills during a stretch that helped Central move back in front 13-12. The teams exchanged points all the way to a 19-19 deadlock before a Falcon attack error gave the Wildcats match point. On the next rally, Chang found Westby for her career-high 26th kill of the night, sealing the 21-19 set victory and Central's 12th consecutive win.
 
Up Next
The Wildcats continue their road trip this Saturday, Oct. 31, when they face Montana State Billings in GNAC action. First serve is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Alterowitz Gymnasium in Billings, Montana. Central will look to extend its 12-match winning streak and maintain its hold on first place in the GNAC standings.