BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Each set was similar throughout the night, as the Western Oregon University volleyball team was close to pulling out all three sets before #18 Western Washington closed strong to take the 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-18) Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory inside Carver Gym.
Laney O'Neil went for her fourth double-double of the season on Saturday with 12 assists and 11 digs. Isabel Hurliman had a team-high seven kills, while Bella MacLellan and Hurliman sent back three blocks. Delaney Smith hit .857 with six kills in seven swings. Lauren Smith also added six kills. Aubrey Stanton dished out 11 assists and Sophie Matlock added nine digs.
WOU (3-18, 1-13 GNAC) held an early 5-3 lead in the first set off a kill by Delaney Smith. WWU (17-4, 13-1 GNAC) answered with a 7-1 run to move ahead 10-6. After a Hurliman kill snapped the run at 10-7 with a kill, the Vikings went on a 6-0 run to stretch the lead to 16-7. The Wolves kept fighting with Emily Olson, Delaney Smith and Hurliman all adding kills to trim the deficit back to six. Bailee Hartsook added a couple of kills down the stretch before the Vikings took the set at 25-17.
WWU started the second set with a 12-5 lead. Following a kill by Hurliman, O'Neil added a service ace and after a double-block by Hurliman and Delaney Smith, a bad set had the Wolves back to within three at 13-10. WOU kept the pressure on getting a pair of kills from Delaney Smith and a kill by Sarah Crowell to pull to within one at 15-14. The Vikings answered with a quick 4-0 run to move in front by five. Crowell and Lauren Smith added points down the stretch before WWU closed the second set on a 6-3 run for the 25-17 set win and 2-0 match lead.
WOU started strong in the third set with Lauren Smith posting a kill before a double-block by MacLellan and Hurliman. Hurliman would then add a kill and following an error by the Vikings, the Wolves were up 4-2. WWU reeled off an 8-3 run to take a 10-7 lead, just to watch WOU respond with the next three points to even the set. Following an attack error, Kiana Pel spun in a service ace and Hurliman posted a kill to even the set at 10. The Vikings used another big run, this one a 6-1 variety to push ahead at 16-11. WOU tried to get back into the set with a kill by Olson and double-block by MacLellan and Crowell, but the Vikings were not to be denied finishing the set with a kill at 25-18 to take the match 3-0.
For the match, WOU had 30 kills to 19 errors in 106 chances (.104), while WWU had 47 kills to 13 errors in 108 chances (.315). The Vikings held the edge in service aces (4-2), blocks (10-5), assists (45-29) and digs (54-45).
Chloe Roetcisoender, Olivia Fairchild and Calley Heilborn all had 10 kills to lead the Vikings. Malia Aleaga setup the offense with 39 assists. On defense, Fairchild sent back eight blocks and Kasey Woodruff had 15 digs. Heilborn made it a double-double with 12 digs.
WOU will now return home for the final homestand of the 2021 season when they host Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday, with both matches starting at 7 p.m. inside New PE Gym. Saturday will be Senior Day for the Wolves with Delaney Smith being honored.
