Volleyball | 10/9/2008 3:11:00 PM
Box Score SEATTLE - Stacey Bennett had 22 kills and 15 digs to help lead the Western Oregon volleyball team to a, 26-24, 22-25, 25-23 and 25-20, victory at Seattle Pacific Thursday, Oct. 9.
This was the 11th consecutive victory for the Wolves as they opened Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a 6-0 record. The win also kept Western Oregon atop the GNAC standings, with a half-game lead over No. 3 nationally ranked Western Washington, as the Vikings defeated Alaska Anchorage 3-1, Thursday. The loss drops Seattle Pacific to 1-6 in the GNAC and 3-13 overall.
Bennett recorded the 22 kills on 54 attempts with only seven errors as she posted a .278 hitting percentage. Kayla Mainer added 12 kills and 13 digs for a double-double of her own. Amy Herron led the team with 27 assists and Jorden Burrows added 18 more. Burrows also led the team with five assisted blocks. Danielle English posted a season-best 32 digs in the victory.
"This was an extremely tough fought match," said head coach Brad Saindon. "Seattle Pacific is much better than their record would indicate and they gave us all we could handle tonight."
In the first set, the Falcons pushed the Wolves to extra points, something which had not happened to the Wolves in its last 15 sets. Seattle Pacific held the 23-21 advantage in the set but WOU took five of the next six points for the set victory. Haley Kostrba had two kills and three serves in the Wolves' final run.
After dropping the second set, Western Oregon again came from behind in the third set for the win. WOU trailed 21-18 with Seattle Pacific serving but it responded to the challenge. Bennett had four kills and SPU made three errors as WOU stormed back to win the set 25-23.
Western Oregon fell behind early in the fourth set 12-5, but it then captured 20 of the next 28 points for the deciding set victory.
"We did not have our best game out here tonight but we were able to find a way to win," said Saindon. "I believe that we are truly beginning to understand our goal of winning a conference championship and that we are going to have bring our best each match. Tonight was a great step in that direction."
The Western Oregon (13-1) volleyball team will return home Oct. 11, as it hosts Montana State Billings at 7:00 p.m., at the Physical Education Building.
