Volleyball | 9/22/2011 10:10:00 PM

Box Score [Box score]

SEATTLE - The Western Oregon volleyball team lost its first Great Northwest Athletic Conference road match of the season when it fell 25-19, 25-21 and 25-22 to Seattle Pacific on Thursday (Sept. 22).

Both teams posted solid hitting percentages, but Seattle Pacific (8-3, 3-0 GNAC) won the hitting battle .212 to .153. Danielle Reese had a match-best 16 kills for Western Oregon (4-5, 3-2 GNAC). Krissi Kemper also added 10 kills. Megan Triggs paced WOU with 14 digs and LesLyne Satele with 31 assists. Becky Blees contributed with four blocks.

SPU's Lindsey Wodrich led the team with 14 kills and a .333 hitting percentage.

The Wolves had an opportunity in all three sets. In the first set WOU was up 14-12 but SPU scored six of the next seven points and 13 of the next 18 to take the one set lead. Western was then down 19-18 in the second set but Seattle Pacific went on a 6-3 run to close out the set and go up 2-0 in the match. In the third set, WOU outhit SPU .133 to .068 but the Falcons still found a way to close out the match in three sets.

"We played a good match, and I am happy with the way we played, but there is just no margin for error against the defending conference champions," explained Western Oregon head coach Brad Saindon. "We just couldn't keep the pressure on them the way we wanted to. They believe in themselves and that belief manifested itself during important points of the match.

"We have to keep getting better and you do that by playing these types of matches," Saindon continued.

This was the second straight conference loss for the Wolves, who opened the GNAC season with three consecutive wins.

Western Oregon will now travel to Montana State Billings to take on the Yellowjackets on Saturday, Sept. 24th, at 6:00 p.m. (PST).