The Saint Martin’s volleyball team bounced back from two tough sets to force a fifth set at Western Oregon Saturday, but the Saints couldn’t complete the rally in a 3-2 loss in their GNAC opener.
Western Oregon held the first lead in the first set, leading by as many as four before Saint Martin’s took its first lead at 14-13 off a Tiffany Lam kill. Hanna Ligons earned the final kill of the opening frame in a 25-23 Saints win.
A back-and-forth start to the second set gave way when the Wolves scored nine unanswered points, including three consecutive Payton Davis kills. The Saints got as close as within four points, but Western Oregon benefited from 11 Saints attack errors en route to a 25-17 second-set victory.
Early in the third set, WOU held an 18-14 advantage and finished with a 7-1 run. Saint Martin’s battled back in the fourth set from multiple four-point deficits and used a 5-1 run to take its first lead at 13-12. Emily Garten helped the Saints rattle off a 5-1 run to win 25-20 and force a fifth set.
Saint Martin’s led 6-2 to start the fourth set before the Wolves jumped all over the Saints with seven straight points. WOU didn’t relinquish its lead and won 15-12.
Garten finished with 15 kills, six digs and four aces, while Ligons added 11 kills, two blocks and two digs. Kamara White shined with 23 assists without an error and 21 digs.
Saint Martin’s (4-5, 0-1 GNAC) will travel to Billings, Montana, to face Montana State Billings Thursday, Sept. 17.
