Volleyball | 10/25/2008 2:27:54 PM
Box Score BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The No. 24 Western Oregon University volleyball team had its 14-match winning streak snapped as it fell at No. 12 Western Washington, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-13, Saturday, Oct. 25.
This was the first loss in 10 Great Northwest Athletic Conference matches this season for the Wolves as they fell to 9-1 in conference and 16-2 overall. The win puts the Vikings at 16-2 on the season and 8-2 in conference. Western Oregon remains atop the GNAC standings with a one-game lead over Western Washington.
Amy Herron, Stacey Bennett and Haley Kostrba each posted double-doubles in the loss. Herron had a team-leading 27 assists and 19 digs while Bennett had 10 kills and 10 digs. Kostrba tied for the team-lead with a .333 hitting percentage as she had 13 kills (13-3-30) to go along with her 20 digs. Danielle English led the Wolves in digs with 21 and Laura Sakala in assisted blocks with five.
Western Oregon took the opening set 25-20 as it used efficient ball placement to outhit Western Washington .341 to .171. Both teams had 14 kills but the Vikings made four more errors and took nine additional shots as the Wolves won the first set. WOU was down 8-6 in the set but used a 6-1 run to take a 12-9 lead. The Vikings then battled back to tie it at 17-17 but the Wolves took eight of the next 10 points for the 25-20 set victory and the 1-0 match lead.
The Wolves dropped the second set for just the third time in 18 matches this season. Western Wa
shington responded from the first set loss as it took the first four points of the second set. The Vikings did not commit a hitting error in the set en route to a .325 hitting percentage (13-0-40).
In a mirror image of the first set, the third set was tied at 17 apiece before the Vikings took eight of the final 10 points for the 25-20 victory. WWU was able to win the hitting percentage battle in the set .306 (19-4-49) to .186 (13-5-43) as the No. 12 team in the country went up 2-1 in the match.
For just the second time this season WOU lost the fourth set. It drops to 10-2 in the fourth set and 16-4 in deciding sets. WOU was outhit for the third straight set as it committed six errors with only nine kills on 43 attempts for a match-low .070 hitting percentage.
The Western Oregon volleyball team will be on the road next week as it travels to Alaska to face Fairbanks Thursday, Oct. 30, at 8:00 p.m., and Anchorage Saturday, Nov. 1, at 8:00 p.m.
