Volleyball | 10/31/2012 4:50:00 PM

VOLLEYBALL - WESTERN OREGON AT MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012 – 6:00 p.m. – Billings, Mont.

LIVE VIDEO: WOU TV (Stretch Internet)
LIVE STATS: WOU TV (Stretch Internet)

VOLLEYBALL - WESTERN OREGON AT SEATTLE PACIFIC
Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012 – 2:00 p.m. – Seattle, Wash.

LIVE VIDEO: WOU TV (Stretch Internet)
LIVE STATS: WOU TV (Stretch Internet)

MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon volleyball team looks to extend its winning streak to six matches as the Wolves travel to Billings, Mont., to face Montana State Billings on Thursday, Nov. 1, at 6:00 p.m. Following the match with the Yellowjackets, the Wolves will travel to Seattle, Wash., for a meeting with Seattle Pacific on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 2:00 p.m.

WOU enters the week with a mark of 16-5 overall, 9-3 in the league standings as the Wolves defeated nationally-ranked Western Washington, 3-0, before sweeping Simon Fraser, 3-0, last week. The wins enabled the Wolves to move within 1.5 matches of Western Washington for first-place in the conference standings. 

After recording a team-high of 17 kills and 15 digs in the win over WWU, outside hitter Danielle Reese had 13 kills and 15 digs in the victory over Simon Fraser to earn GNAC Red Lion Offensive Player of the Week honors. In the process, she became just the 30th player in GNAC history to record 1,000 kills during her career, finishing the week with 1,019.

On the season, Reese ranks second in the GNAC in points, averaging 4.36 per set and is fourth in kills, averaging 3.65.  She also ranks second in aces with 29 in 72 sets.

Meanwhile, Becky Blees  is the GNAC leader in blocks averaging 1.30 per game as the Wolves lead the league with 2.44 blocks per set. Outside hitter Samantha Ward (2.84 kills per set) and middle blocker Krissi Kemper (2.48 kills per set) continue to perform well as Kemper's .404 percentage is the best in the GNAC and ranks No. 3 in the nation.

MSUB enters the week with a mark of 9-11 overall and 6-6 in league play as the Yellowjackets defeated Central Washington before falling to Northwest Nazarene last week. Monica Grimsund leads the way for MSUB with 3.44 kills per set.

SPU also split last week, falling to NNU before defeating CWU, as the Falcons moved to 10-11 overall and 7-5 in league play. Cailin Fellows leads the way for SPU at 3.95 kills per set and ranks second in the league in the category.

Earlier this season, WOU defeated MSUB at home; however, fell to the Falcons in straight sets.

Following the weekend matches, WOU will return home to face Northwest Nazarene on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 7:00 p.m.