Sept. 17, 2005
Box Score
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Right-side hitter Krystal Knight (Sr., Sumner) had 14 kills, but it wasn't enough as Western Washington University fell to nationally ranked Central Washington University, 30-24, 30-20, 30-21, on Saturday in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball match on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium.
Western falls to 6-5 overall and 2-1 in the GNAC. It was just the third loss for the Vikings in 53 Carver Gym matches since Diane Flick became head coach in 2000. Two of those losses have been to the Wildcats.
Central, ranked No.9 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association/NCAA Division II Top 25, improved 9-2 overall and 3-0 in the conference. It was the 26th consecutive GNAC victory for the Wildcats, who won the GNAC title last season and were 26-1 overall, losing only in the Pacific Regional of the NCAA II National Tournament.
Outside hitter Crystal Ames led Central with 14 kills and middle blocker LeAnne McGahuey added 13 kills.
The Vikings led much of the first game, as four early kills by outside hitter Jamie Petersen (Sr., Kent/Kentwood) helped Western grab a 12-8 advantage. The Vikings led by three at 19-16, but Central used a 6-1 run, including three service aces by Ames, to take a 22-20 edge and pulled away from there.
Central had more convincing victories in the last two games, leading by as much as 14 points in the second frame, and never leading by less than four points in the last half of the final game.
Petersen had 11 kills for Western and libero Courtney Schneider (So., Snohomish) added a match-high 13 digs.
Central middle blocker Cristina Null had 10 kills and no errors in 15 attacks.
Last year, Central swept both its meetings with the Vikings, ending their 57-match conference winning streak with a 3-0 victory in Ellensburg and halting their 23-match home winning streak with a 3-1 win in Bellingham.
The Vikings are on the road next week, traveling to Seattle University on Thursday (7 p.m.) and to Saint Martin's University on Saturday (7 p.m.).
