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Box Score.htm
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RENO, Nev. The third seeded Nevada Wolf Pack (20-7) defeated second seeded Fresno State (23-5) 18-30, 30-28, 30-24, 40-38 in the second semifinal match of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament at the Virginia Street Gym. Nevada advances to the championship match in only its second season in the WAC.
Laura Wooley led the Wolf Pack in kills with 21, hitting .191. Kellie Burton added nine kills, hitting .381. WAC Freshman of the Year Salaia Salavea hit .200 with 15 kills, while Christine Harms had 13 kills. Nevada added great defense stopping a very powerful Fresno State attack, with four athletes having double digit digs.
In losing the first game, 30-18, Nevada hit only .068. They came back strong in the second game, hitting .314 with 23 kills. Neither team hit too well in third, but Nevada grabbed the third game, being out hit, .136 to .146. Nevada used every bit of the home crowds energy, edging the Bulldogs 40-38 in the fourth and deciding game.
For Fresno State, Kristen Fenton led all with 24 kills and a .392 hitting percentage. The Bulldogs came out firing, hitting a match high .424 in the first game with 17 kills. Although they matched their game one kill total, they fell short in the second game, despite a late raley. With two more kills than Nevada in game three, it was a few late mistakes that gave the Wolf Pack the 2-1 advantage heading into game four.
Up two points late in the fourth game, the Bulldogs failed to put Nevada away. With Fresno State fighting off match point after match point, the Wolf Pack found away to string two points together, giving them their first trip to the WAC Championship.
Nevada now faces regular season WAC Champion Hawaii in the WAC Championship match tomorrow at 1 p.m. (PT).