Volleyball | 10/24/2013 11:00:00 PM

GNAC WEEKLY RELEASE

MONMOUTH, Ore. –Five of the Western Oregon University volleyball team's final nine matches of the regular season are at home beginning Saturday against Saint Martin's University.

The Wolves (6-13, 3-6 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) enter the match after a pair of five-set matches last week. WOU grabbed a 3-2 victory at Montana State Billings in its last match. Western Oregon has played half of its conference schedule, playing all of the GNAC opponents once. The Wolves begin the second half of the conference slate Saturday.

Western Oregon's Becky Blees is nearing a conference all-time record. The senior is 15 blocking assists shy of Northwest Nazarene's Cammy Dranginis' four-year-old record of 367 in a career. Blees is also eighth currently on the GNAC all-time career list with 365 career blocks. Dranginis owns that record as well at 473.

Blees' 1.19 blocks per set is 17th in NCAA Div. II this season.  That mark is also fourth in the conference.  The senior is 11th in the GNAC with a .268 hitting percentage. Megan Triggs' 4.77 digs per set is third in the conference. Hannah Deede is seventh in blocks per set (1.08).  Jordin Ramos is ninth with 5.16 assists per set.

The Wolves are seventh in hitting percentage (.173) and fifth in opponent hitting percentage (.180). WOU is also fifth in blocks per set at 2.14, and in digs (15.20).

Saint Martin's and Western Oregon meet for the 33rd time, and the Wolves have 30 of the all-time matchups. WOU has won 15 straight matches over the Saints dating back to a five-set loss at home in 2004.

Western Oregon picked up a four-set victory earlier this season at Saint Martin's. WOU used a strong defensive effort to come away with the victory, holding SMU to a .067 attack percentage during the match. The Wolves recorded seven team blocks against the Saints as Deede, Blees and Krissi Kemper each had three in the win. Megan Triggs led all players with 37 digs while Christie Colasurdo (17), Jordin Ramos (11) and Deede (10) also turned in solid performances.

The Saints (7-14, 3-6 GNAC) have won two of their last three, but fell in their latest match at Seattle Pacific. In SMU's win at MSU Billings last week, Saint Martin's held the Yellowjackets to a .008 percentage (35-34-122) blocking 15 attacks. This will be the third straight road match for SMU, which has won four of its 14 contests away from Lacey.

Like Western Oregon, Saint Martin's is led by its defense. The Saints are fourth in the GNAC in opponents' hitting percentage (.179) and digs per set (15.61). Cymbree Decosta is eighth in the conference in assists per set (8.11), Kyra Davidson is 10th in blocks (1.00), and 20th in hitting percentage at .224.

The SMU and Western Oregon match will have live video and stats on WOUWolves.com. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

It is Hall of Fame weekend at Western Oregon. Fans are encouraged to wear red all weekend for Red Out. Fans wearing red Thursday will receive a giveaway, and several red shirts will be given out at the game. Fans can bring either of their Thursday or Saturday soccer ticket stubs, or a ticket stub from Saturday's football game, for free entry to Saturday's volleyball match. Fans can also show their football or volleyball ticket for entry to soccer.