MONMOUTH, Ore. – Over the final two sets Thursday night, the Western Oregon University volleyball team posted their best two hitting sets on the night to help lead the Wolves to a 3-1 win over Northwest Nazarene (25-19, 15-25, 25-19, 25-21) in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action inside New PE Gym.
"Being at home and having home court support really goes a long way and is a great confidence booster to the morale of the program and to the abilities that they know we have," interim head coach Traci Stephenson said. "We're a young team and we're trying to take every moment as a learning and growing opportunity. Getting wins definitely help fuel that mindset."
WOU (4-18, 2-13 GNAC) definitely saved their best for last hitting .282 in the third set and then .256 in the fourth set to close out the Nighthawks (5-18, 2-13 GNAC). The Wolves tallied 16 kills to five errors in 39 chances in the third set and then committed just two errors with 12 kills in 39 chances in the fourth set.
Bailee Hartsook led the offense with a match-high 15 kills and hit .378 on the night. Isabel Hurliman added 13 kills and Sarah Crowell reached double-figures with 11 kills. Sophie Matlock had 31 digs on the back row, while Hurliman made it a double-double with 14 digs and both Aubrey Stanton and Kiana Pel added 10 digs apiece. Bella MacLellan sent back a match-high eight blocks, with Hartsook and Lauren Smith adding three apiece. Stanton also added a double-double with 23 assists and Laney O'Neil added 17 assists and just missed a double-double with nine digs.
WOU held the edge in several categories including kills (53-52), blocks (11-6), assists (51-49) and were tied in service aces at seven. NNU held the edge in digs (105-92).
In the opening set, the Wolves held a pair of early three-point leads with the last coming at 7-4 on a kill by Hartsook. The Nighthawks fought back to eventually move in front 11-8. WOU responded, going on 5-0 run to pull in front by two. During the stretch, MacLellan sent back a solo block, then combined with Hurliman for a block and then two straight aces by Pel led to a double-block by MacLellan and Lauren Smith at 13-11. With the set tied at 17, WOU used another key run, this one 3-0 to pull back in front with Delaney Smith and Crowell combining for a block and after Hartsook recorded a kill, she combined with MacLellan for a block at 20-17. NNU made one last push tallying the next two points before WOU finished the set on a 5-0 run. Hartsook started the final stretch with a kill and around a couple of kills by Crowell, Crowell also added a block to help WOU take the first set at 25-19.
NNU came out on fire to start the second set, reeling off the first eight points. WOU got back to within five points at 12-7 off a kill by Hartsook. The Nighthawks kept the attack coming, going on an 8-2 run to move ahead 20-9. WOU didn't go away quietly, as they got right back into the set with five straight points. Crowell, Hurliman, Pel, MacLellan and Lauren Smith all picked up points during the run. After the teams traded points, NNU finished the set out on a 4-0 run to take the second set at 25-15.
The teams traded leads throughout the third set when WOU moved ahead 13-9 with a quick 5-1 run. Hartsook posted a pair of kills and after a double-block by Lauren Smith and MacLellan, Crowell finished the stretch with a kill. NNU got back into the set at 19-18, but WOU was ready to close the set strong. Hartsook posted a kill on the next point to start what would end up being a 6-1 run to end the set. Stanton added a service ace, Madison Hornback tallied a kill and then after a kill by MacLellan, two straight errors by the Nighthawks sent WOU to the 25-19 third set win.
Similar to the second set, NNU came out strong to start the fourth set opening a 6-1 lead. Still in front at 9-5, WOU caught fire with a 6-0 run to take the lead. Hartsook, Crowell, and Delaney Smith all had points during the run that left WOU holding an 11-9 lead. The Nighthawks came back to regain the lead at 16-15, but the Wolves were ready to push through just like in set three. Delaney Smith and Hurliman collected points to move ahead 19-17. After NNU picked up the next point to get to within one, three straight points by WOU moved the Wolves ahead at 22-18. Hartsook and MacLellan tallied a double-block and a kill by Crowell gave WOU the fourth set at 25-21 and the 3-1 match victory.
For the match, NNU tallied 52 kills to 23 errors in 182 chances (.159), while WOU had 53 kills to 18 errors in 188 chances (.186). Molly Anderson led NNU with 13 kills, Gabriella Haws had 34 assists, Caroline McMahon with 37 digs and Anna Gable sent back five blocks.
WOU will close the home portion of the schedule this Saturday when they host Central Washington for Senior Day starting at 7 p.m. inside New PE Gym. The Wolves will honor senior Delaney Smith before the match. Central Washington picked up the 3-0 win at Saint Martin's on Thursday.
