ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Western Oregon University volleyball team played nine sets over the course of two matches on Friday facing both St. Cloud State and Hawaii Pacific. In the first match of the day at noon, WOU claimed the first set before #13 St. Cloud State rallied to take the next three sets for the 3-1 victory (24-26, 25-16, 25-13, 25-23). Later in the day at 5 p.m., the Wolves took the court again to face Hawaii Pacific. After opening strong and coming back with a solid fourth set, WOU wasn't able to complete the win as the Sharks pulled out the 3-2 win (16-25, 25-23, 25-22, 16-25, 15-10) to close the first day of games for WOU at the Central Washington/Seattle Pacific Crossover played in Ellensburg.
In the first set against St. Cloud State (4-0), the Wolves (2-4) moved out to a 10-8 lead with kills from Emily Olson, Isabel Hurliman and Lauren Smith. With the Huskies holding a 24-20 lead, the set looked to be over when WOU rallied with an impressive 6-0 run to claim the set. Hurliman started the run with a kill. Olson added a kill and after a service ace from Hurliman, Bailee Hartsook and Smith posted kills to move to set point. SCS had a chance to tie the set, but an attacking error gave the set to WOU at 26-24.
WOU surged out to a 4-0 lead in the second set with Hurliman posting a kill and after a bad set by the Huskies, Aubrey Stanton spun in a pair of service aces. SCS answered to go back in front 10-8. Back within a point at 12-11, the Huskies went on a 9-0 run to open up a 21-11 advantage. WOU tried to get back in the set with a pair of kills from Olson, but the Huskies closed out the set with a 25-16 second set win to even the match at one.
SCS started out the third set with a 11-7 lead. With points from Smith and Hartsook pulling WOU back to within four a couple of times, the Huskies ended the set on an 8-0 run to take the third set at 25-13.
The momentum carried over into the fourth set with the Huskies quickly moving ahead 8-1. Still trailing 17-10, WOU started to make their push reeling off the next four points with Olson and Hurliman combining for a block and three attacking errors from the Huskies. The Wolves kept coming getting to within one at 20-19 following kills from Hartsook, Makenzie York and Smith before a double-block by York and Hartsook closed the run. WOU got to within one a few more times the remainder of the set with a kills by Hurliman at 23-22 and 24-23, before SCS closed the set at 25-23 to claim the match at 3-1.
Overall for the match, St. Cloud State recorded 57 kills to 22 errors in 144 chances (.243), while WOU posted 45 kills to 17 errors in 128 chances (.219). Other statistical categories had the Huskies leading in service aces (8-5), assists (53-41) and digs (59-54). The teams tied in blocks with each sending six back.
Hurliman paced the offense with 13 kills, while Hartsook added 12. Stanton dished out 35 assists. On defense, York sent back five blocks and Sophie Matlock had 15 digs. Hartsook made it a double-double with 10 digs.
Linsey Rachel led St. Cloud State with 16 kills, Maddy Torve added 44 assists and Rachel completed the double-double with 14 digs.
The second match of the day against Hawaii Pacific featured lots of chances for both teams to take control.
WOU started out the opening set strong pulling ahead 13-6 off a service ace by Hartsook. Earlier in a 4-0 run, Hartsook and Hurliman had kills around a double-block by Hurliman and York. The Wolves continued to control the set and finished on a 3-0 run to take the set at 25-16. York started the run with a solo block and following a service ace from Smith, Hartsook tallied a kill at set point.
The second set was tight throughout the first 26 points that left the teams tied at 13. Hawaii Pacific (1-5) broke open the tie with four straight points to jump ahead 17-13. A service error helped ignite a 6-0 run for the Wolves with Hurliman and Olson claiming points around a few errors by the Sharks that left WOU with a 20-18 lead. After the teams were tied at 21 and again at 23, HPU tallied a point off an attack error and then a service error gave them the set at 25-23 to even the match at one set each.
In the third set, WOU moved out to a 10-7 lead on a pair of service aces from Matlock. A double-block from Hurliman and Olson pushed the lead to 14-8. Still in control at 21-16 off of kills from York and Olson, the Sharks flipped the script and got right back into the set. HPU responded with a 7-0 run to take a 23-21 lead. A Hurliman kill ended the run, but the Sharks took advantage of a couple errors by the Wolves to claim the third set at 25-22 and move ahead 2-1 in the match.
With the fourth set tied at seven, WOU began to pull away as a Hartsook kill started a 5-0 run. To close the run, Stanton tallied three straight service aces. Ahead at 20-15, WOU started putting the finishing touches on the set with York tallying a kill and after a Hartsook service ace, the Sharks later picked up a point and then had a service error to give WOU the fourth set at 25-16 to stretch the match to a decisive fifth set.
After WOU scored the first point of the fifth, HPU reeled off the next six points to take control. WOU fought back to within five a couple of times down the stretch at 12-7 on a double-block by Olson and Stanton and then at 13-8 on a kill by Hurliman. With the Sharks at set point, a pair of attack errors had WOU within four at 14-10. HPU closed the set and the match on the next point getting a kill for the 15-10 fifth set win.
HPU tallied 47 kills to 25 errors in 161 chances (.137). WOU recorded 48 kills to 28 errors in 158 chances (.127). WOU held a big advantage in service aces (19-4) and blocks (10-6). The Wolves also led in digs (73-70), while the teams tied in assists at 46.
Hurliman capped her strong day leading the team again in kills with 17. She made it a double-double with 14 digs. Hartsook added 14 kills and 14 digs for her second double-double on the day. Hurliman also led the team in service aces (6) and tied with York and Olson for the team lead in blocks (5). Stanton dished out 40 assists and Matlock added 29 digs.
Caroline Gomes paced Hawaii Pacific with 13 kills and Cara McClean added 38 assists. On defense, Kirah Boynton-Brown had four blocks and Avery Percival added 30 digs.
WOU closes their trip to Ellensburg with a single match tomorrow (Saturday) against Biola starting at 12 p.m.
