LACEY, Wash. – While the final result will show a 3-0 win for Saint Martin's, the Western Oregon University volleyball team was right with the Saints throughout the match. Saint Martin's was able to claim the win by set scores of 25-20, 26-24 and 27-25 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action on Saturday night at the Marcus Pavilion.
WOU (2-16, 0-10 GNAC) forced Saint Martin's (9-11, 2-8 GNAC) into 29 attacking errors to post a .133 hitting percentage. The Wolves held the edge in blocks (5-4), while the Saints held a slight advantage in digs (69-61) and service aces (7-4). Saint Martin's also led in overall kills (49-29) and assists (41-27).
Isabel Hurliman led the offense with seven kills, while Lauren Smith added six and Bailee Hartsook with five. Bella MacLellan hit .429 on the night with four kills to one error in seven swings. Aubrey Stanton tallied 14 assists, with Laney O'Neil adding nine. Three reached double-figures in digs with Sophie Matlock recording a match-high 20. Hurliman and O'Neil added 10 each. Hartsook sent back three blocks.
Saint Martin's moved out to a 7-4 lead in the first set. Trailing 14-9, WOU went on a 5-0 run to even the set. Hartsook and Maclellan started the rally with a double-block. After three errors by the Saints, Stanton spun in a service ace to knot the set at 14. A kill by Lauren Smith and then one from Emily Olson moved the Wolves ahead at 18-17. With the set tied at 20, Saint Martin's closed on a 5-0 run to take the set at 25-20.
WOU came out strong in the second set with Hartsook tallying a kill. MacLellan followed with a kill and after an attacking error by the Saints, Hurliman collected a kill to give the Wolves a 4-0 start to the set. Still in front 6-4, Saint Martin's answered with the next four points to take an 8-6 lead. Delaney Smith tallied a kill to help WOU come back with three straight points as Hurliman added a service ace and then Delaney Smith and Hartsook combined for a block at 9-8. WOU had the lead out to 12-9 with a kill by Hartsook. After the Saints reeled off the next four points to go back in front, Olson posted a kill and an attacking error moved WOU ahead by one. The teams continued to go back-and-forth with Saint Martin's going ahead at 18-16, just to watch WOU come back with three points to regain the lead. Hurliman tallied a kill and after a service ace by Matlock, an attacking error had WOU in front at 19-18. The Saints looked ready to take the set with a 4-0 run that left them with a 22-19 lead. The Wolves came right back scoring five of the next six points to move to set point at 24-23. Saint Martin's then rallied to close the set strong with a 3-0 run for a 26-24 second set win and 2-0 match lead.
The Saints pushed ahead 8-5 early in the third set. WOU came back to tie at 10 and then again at 11 on a kill by Lauren Smith. The Wolves kept coming back, as they tied the set again at 14 on a solo block by Hurliman. Saint Martin's looked ready to take the set moving ahead 20-16 when WOU came right back just like the second set. An attack error by the Saints ignited a 5-0 run to move WOU in front at 21-20. Lauren Smith and MacLellan tallied a block and both also added kills during the rally along with two attacking errors by the Saints. Trailing 23-22, WOU posted the next two points to move to set point. Lauren Smith collected a kill and an attacking error had the Wolves ahead at 24-23. Saint Martin's answered with the next two points to move to set point at 25-24. After an attacking error evened the set, the Saints tallied back-to-back kills to take the set at 27-25 and the match at 3-0.
Emily Gooding led the Saints with 12 kills, while Tia Allen added 11. It was a double-double for Allen as she added 11 digs as well. Gracie Brenner tallied three service aces and Jennifer Soha sent back three blocks. Kylie Alos added 18 digs.
WOU will now return home to host Seattle Pacific this coming Thursday starting at 7 p.m. They will close the week against Montana State Billings on Saturday also starting at 7 p.m. inside New PE Gym.
