Oct. 25, 2012

Box Score

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Despite a match-high 20 kills from outside hitter Marlayna Geary (Sr., Tacoma/Bellarmine Prep), nationally ranked Western Washington University was upset by Western Oregon University, 25-22, 25-21, 25-21, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball match Thursday night at the New P.E. Building on the WOU campus.

The loss snapped a seven-match winning streak for the Vikings, ranked a season-high No.12 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll. WWU fell to 17-3 overall, but stayed atop the GNAC standings at 10-2. All three Viking losses have come on the road.

Western Oregon improved to 15-5 overall and 8-3 in conference play with its fourth consecutive victory. Danielle Reese had team-highs of 17 kills and 15 digs for the Wolves, who are 9-2 at home this season.

WWU opened the match by jumping to a 7-1 lead in the first set and eventually extending that margin to 10-3. The Wolves chipped away, narrowing the margin to two, 14-12, but the Vikings remained in front at 20-18. At that point, WOU ran off six straight points to take a 24-20 lead, and eventually closed out the frame on a kill by Krissi Kemper.

The Vikings again opened up an early lead in the second set, and held a 17-14 advantage before the Wolves charged back. With the score tied at 20, WOU scored five of the next six points, the first three on blocks.

WOU led the entire third set after scoring the first four points. Three times WWU pulled within a point, the last at 22-21 after back-to-back kills by Geary, but was never able to even the score.

Libero Samantha Hutchinson (So., University Place/Curtis) had a match-high 23 digs for the Vikings, and Geary added 11, giving her 14 double-doubles in kills and digs this season,

WWU is at Saint Martin's for a GNAC counter Saturday (7 p.m.), Oct. 27.