Box Score NAMPA, Idaho--Northwest Nazarene built an early lead and then held off a late Western Oregon charge to win three sets to one at the Johnson Sports Center on Thursday night, 25-15, 25-18, 23-25, 25-18.

The Nighthawks improved to 12-7 on the season and to 6-6 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Western Oregon dips to 8-12 on the season and to 4-8 in conference play.

It looked to be a NNU blowout early. The Nighthawks rolled to a 25-15 first set win, never trailing whiile hitting .286 with a trio of service aces.

It was more of the same in set two where the home team hit a scorching .318 and WOU got no closer than 21-17 last in the set.

But the Wolves gave it a run in the third set and beyond. They jumped out to a 3-0 lead and then both teams traded leads and featured nine ties in a back-and-forth game. With the set tied at 18-18, Bailey Furman's kill gave WOU a 19-18 lead and they wouldn't trail again. At 23-23, the Wolves closed the set with kills by Malena Mathis and Payton Davis to take the game, 25-23.

Western carried that momentum into set four. The Wolves led 7-3 and then engaged in another game of swapping leads and ties. at 16-16, the Nighthawks took control with five straight points, and they tallied nine of the final 11 points of the night for a 25-18 win. 

Davis led the Wolves with 10 kills and Kate Markley had nine. Madi Noel led the defense with 11 digs. 

Abby Black paced NNU with 18 kills.

Western Oregon will next travel to Ellensburg for a Saturday afternoon clash (1 pm) against GNAC-leading Central Washington.