Box Score
MONMOUTH, Ore. - Danielle Reese tallied a match-high 16 kills and Western Oregon picked up a 3-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball victory over Alaska on Thursday night at the New PE Building.
The Wolves won by scores of 25-17, 25-23 and 25-10 to improve to 13-8 on the year and 12-5 in conference, while the Nanooks fell to 2-23 overall and 2-15 in the GNAC.
“I thought the first two sets were very good and we were really close in the second set,” head coach
Phil Shoemaker said. “That set ended on an unfortunate no-call that would've tied the set up [at 24-24] and we definitely had some momentum on the back end of the set. In the third, we never answered the bell, and [Western Oregon] was determined and aggressive.”
Also for WOU, Samantha Ward chipped in eight kills, Megan Triggs contributed 18 digs and LesLyne Satele had 33 assists. The Wolves also got five assisted blocks from Corynn Kopra and four from Krissi Kemper.
Senior outside hitter
Simone Chavous (Aurora, Colo./Bishop Machebeuf Catholic) led the 'Nooks with nine kills and sophomore outside hitter
Keri Knight (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley) had seven terminations and a career-best 11 digs. Freshman setter
Becky Martin (Cochrane, Alberta/Bow Valley) notched a team-high 14 digs, tying her career high.
Shoemaker spoke about how the backcourt performed with the absence of
Allison Oddy (Chilliwack, B.C./Highroad Academy) from the libero position for the third straight match.
“You never have to doubt
Jordyn Montgomery's desire, so putting her in that position is an easy choice,” Shoemaker said. “Becky and Karlee [Skalla] have had to play a lot of defense all year long, so it's nice to see they're responding to it. Keri had the opportunity to play all the way around tonight and she responded very well overall.”
The first set was tied 8-8 before Western Oregon reeled off five of six to grab a 13-9 lead. The lead stretched to 17-10 and Alaska never got closer than five the rest of the set as WOU won the opening frame by eight.
The Wolves surged out to an 11-3 lead in the second, before the Nanooks began chipping away at the lead. They went on a 6-2 run to close to within 13-9. Trailing 20-15, UA scored five of seven to get to within a pair at 22-20. After a WOU point, Alaska scored three straight to tie the set at 23-23. Reese answered with a kill to give the lead backto the home team and the Wolves closed the set and doubled its match lead with an error by the 'Nooks.
Alaska led 4-3 in the third before WOU went on a 7-0 run to gain a 10-4 advantage. Leading 12-7, Western Oregon scored 10 of the next 11 points for a comfortable 22-8 lead. Alaska scored three of the next four, but a WOU completed the sweep with a pair of kills by Kemper.
The Nanooks close out the regular season Saturday night when they face Saint Martin's in Lacey, Wash. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
“You have one more shot at it,” Shoemaker said. “With Saint Martin's, we have historically had success with them but they have one of the better teams they've had. It's no question it should be a competitive match.”
