Central Washington University Athletics

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - The Central Washington University volleyball team secured its sixth consecutive sweep Saturday afternoon, defeating Seattle Pacific inside Nicholson Arena, including a thrilling 39-37 second-set victory. The Wildcats' 39-points matched the NCAA Division II record for most points scored in a single set and extended Central's winning streak to six matches.
 
Quoting Head Coach Lauren Herseth
"That was an incredible display of resiliency and grit! Once we settled into the serve and pass game, we were able to compete. I thought our block came up big and our setters did a great job distributing the offense. We only got better as the match went on, and to come up with a big sweep at home feels really good."
 
How It Happened
The Wildcats survived a historic second set that stretched to 76 total points, with Central's 39 points tying the NCAA Division II record for the most points scored by a team in a single set. The 'Cats hit .246 while holding Seattle Pacific to a .099 attack percentage and finished with an 11-9 advantage in blocks. Corinne Westby led the offense with 15 kills, Ellie Marble added 13 kills and 12 digs for a double-double, and Kennedy Webb contributed seven kills and five blocks. Kailey Willsey anchored the defense with seven blocks, while Kayleigh-Shay Chang and Addie Allen combined for 40 assists. Brooklyn Parker led the squad with 13 digs.
 
First Set
The Falcons grabbed momentum midway through the opening set when Megan Omlid powered a service run that turned an 11-7 Central advantage into a 16-11 Seattle Pacific lead. The Wildcats weathered the run and steadily chipped away behind kills from Westby, Marble, and Willsey. Trailing 20-17 late, Central found another gear, scoring eight of the final nine points. Back-to-back Falcon errors ignited the rally before a Willsey and Mackenzie Godden block tied the score. Marble later delivered a service ace to move the Wildcats to set point, and a Seattle Pacific ball-handling error ended the set with Central claiming a 25-21 victory.
 
Second Set
The second set developed into a marathon battle and proved to be the turning point of the match. Seattle Pacific used an early 6-0 run to build a 12-6 advantage before the Wildcats gradually worked their way back into contention. Kills from Marble, Webb, and Willsey erased the deficit, and Central eventually tied the set at 15-15. Neither team could gain separation as the score climbed through the 20s and into the 30s. The Falcons fought off multiple set points, while the Wildcats repeatedly answered behind timely kills from Westby and strong play at the net. The Falcons originally appeared to have won the set at 37-35, but a challenge from Herseth proved to be worthy as the call was overturned. Then, with the score deadlocked at 37-37, a block from Hayli Tri and Webb gave Central the edge before Tri delivered a trick setter dump to complete the dramatic 39-37 win.
 
Third Set
Central carried the momentum of the second-set victory into the final frame and never looked back. The Wildcats used a balanced attack and strong serving to jump in front 7-2 before extending the lead to 15-4. Webb, Westby, Godden, and Willsey all contributed during the run, while Central's blocking continued to frustrate the Falcons. Seattle Pacific briefly stopped the surge, but the Wildcats maintained complete control from start to finish. Marble and Webb supplied key late kills before Marble put away the match-winning point for a convincing 25-13 victory.
 
Up Next
The Wildcats remain home next week for a lone matchup against Northwest Nazarene as part of CWU Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 10. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Ellensburg.