MONMOUTH, Ore.--On Dig Pink night at the Western Athletic Center, where players, coaches and fans celebrated and honored those that have survived breast cancer, Western Oregon also got the chance to celebrate a 3-0 win over the Alaska Nanooks. 

The victory felt extra good for the Wolves, snapping a five-match losing streak with the 25-18, 25-23, 25-21 victory. That also allowed Western Oregon to improve to 7-10 overall and to 3-6 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Alaska dipped to 11-8 on the year and to 3-6 in the GNAC.

Kate Markley had 12 kills to lead the Wolves and Vivian Yount added 10 with a sizzling .529 hitting percentage. Cali-Jo Shigemasa led the defense with 18 digs and Kilinoelehua Helm added 12 digs.

The only set that was not a nail biter was the first. In that one, WOU jumped out to a 5-0 before the Nanooks stormed back to tie it at 9-9. Trailing 10-9, WOU then scored three straight points and wouldn't trail again. They would lead 22-14 before closing out at 25-18.

In the second set, neither team led by more than three points the entire set. Trailing 20-17, the Wolves scored four straight points to take a 21-20 lead. Two of those points came off kills by Markley and Yount, and those same two had two more putaways to make it 23-21. A couple of points later, Cali Bitzer closed out the set with a kill to make the tally 25-23.

The third set was more of the same. Neither team led by more than two points until the Wolves took a 16-13 lead. Like in set two, WOU would not trail again on their way to a 25-21 win.

Western Oregon will continue their five-match homestand with a Thursday night match against Montana State Billings. Start time is 7 pm.