MONMOUTH – The Saint Martin's University volleyball team won their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference matchup over Western Oregon University in five sets Saturday, 25-17, 17-25, 25-18, 21-25 and 15-11.
 
The loss for the Wolves (2-11, 0-5 GNAC) broke a 16-game win streak against SMU and marked their first defeat in 13 tries against the Saints during the Brad Saindon era.

Brenna Peterson led SMU (4-12, 1-4 GNAC) with 35 of the team's 41 total assists. Kristyn Ross and Carrie Starbuck had 14 and 10 kills respectively, while Jessica Riddle totaled 21 digs.
 
Both teams finished with a low attack percentage with Saint Martin's edging the Wolves .093 to .064. Unforced errors were the name of the game as the teams combined for 60 attack errors and 35 serving errors. SMU had 31 of the attack errors and 19 serving errors, but managed to leave Monmouth with a victory.
 
"I can't remember the last time we've practiced serves," said Saindon. "We've been through a long stretch where we have been on the road and only had three days of practice in the last three weeks. It was a strange match tonight."
 
WOU dropped its fifth-straight contest, with three of the last four losses coming in five sets.

Jaryn Ramos led all players with 24 digs. The freshman also added four assists in the contest. Jordin Ramos totaled 17 assists and Hannah Deede recorded 10 kills, both team-highs for Western Oregon.
 
The Wolves are next scheduled for an Alaskan road trip, taking on the University of Alaska (0-14, 0-6 GNAC) in Fairbanks, Oct. 2.

 

Saint Martin's def. Western Oregon 25-17,17-25,25-18,21-25,15-11

Saint Martin's (4-12, 1-4 GNAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Ross,Kristyn 14-1-1; Starbuck,Carrie 10-1-3; Davidson,Kyra 7-0-5;
Mortensen,Hope 6-0-0; Wabinga,Julia 5-0-0; Nesbitt,Nicolette 1-0-0;
Peterson,Brenna 1-2-0; Mitchell,Rebecca 1-1-0; Codd,Jennifer 0-1-0;
Knecht,Maddie 0-0-1; Riddle,Jessica 0-2-0; Totals 45-8-6.0. (Assists)
- Peterson,Brenna 35. (Dig leaders) - Riddle,Jessica 21; Ross,Kristyn
12; Peterson,Brenna 10; Starbuck,Carrie 10

Western Oregon (2-11, 0-5 GNAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Deede,Hannah 10-0-4; Colasurdo,Christie 7-0-2; Moore,Samantha 6-1-4;
O'Hara,Cherene 6-0-2; Ober,Maddi 3-1-3; Ramos,Jordin 2-1-0;
Kalalau,Lani 2-0-1; Blankinship,Sydney 1-0-0; Bettinson,Alisha 1-1-1;
Ramos,Jaryn 0-1-0; Totals 38-5-10.0. (Assists) - Ramos,Jordin 17. (Dig
leaders) - Ramos,Jaryn 24; Bettinson,Alisha 13

Site: Monmouth, OR (New P.E. Building)
Date: Sep 27, 2014   Attend: 287   Time: 2:10
Referees: Mark Sykes, Erin Eaton