MONMOUTH, Ore. – Western Oregon got into the win column on Tuesday night in its first home game of the 2015 season. The Wolves bounced back after a rough weekend in Colorado with a solid 3-0 victory over Lewis and Clark Collge. WOU won by straight set scores of 25-14, 25-16 and 27-25, using consistent offense and limiting mistakes in the victory.
 
The Wolves improve to 1-4 on the year while the Pioneers fell to 3-2.
 
WOU totaled 41 kills and just 12 errors for a .248 hitting percentage. Tuesday's performance was the most consistent from game to game and instilled confidence in the team heading into a busy tournament weekend.
 
A large part of the offensive damage came from sophomores Sydney Blankinship and Alisha Bettinson. Blankinship, who entered the match with the fourth best hitting percentage, had a team-high 11 kills and only one error in 16 chances for an outstanding .625 mark for the night. Bettinson and redshirt freshman Amanda Short each added 10 kills each.
 
Set one saw the Wolves open a 6-2 following a four-point stretch on Short's serve. The Pioneers slices the lead down to two points, but the Wolves made their largest run of the game behind the serve of Leila Holt. In a five-point string, Bettinson smashed back-to-back kills preceding three consecutive attack errors that put WOU on top 12-5. LCC never got within four points, especially down the stretch as Short had three consecutive aces.
 
Another run of points on the Short serve opened up an early 9-3 lead for Western Oregon. Later in the game, Maddie Mehciz and Bettinson had aces as WOU cruised to the nine-point win.
 
Things looked to be going WOU's way midway through the third set with a four-point string to make the score 15-12. Lewis and Clark would not surrender, scoring six points on the serve of Ali Carleton. With LCC on top 20-16, the Wolves would take six of the next eight rallies to bring the score even at 22-22. With one WOU service error and a LCC ace, the Pioneers had game point at 24-23. Short fired the first game-extending kill while Blankinship put the Wolves in position to win with a big swing. WOU scored two straight points on LCC hitting errors to close out the match.
 
Christie Colasurdo supplied 27 digs and had a pair of service aces. Blankinship had five blocks and Mariella Vandenkooy had two.
 
Western Oregon continues play on Thursday at its own home tournament. WOU will face Adelphi (4-0) at 12 p.m. on day one of the WOU Volleyball Invitational.