BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Saint Martin's volleyball team (11-6, 5-3 GNAC) just continues to make history. After falling behind 2-0 on Thursday night against Western Washington (5-11, 5-3 GNAC), the Saints fought back in front of a packed house at Carver Gymnasium to rally for a 3-2 (22-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-18, 15-10) victory over the Vikings. This marks the first time in the GNAC/DII era that the Saints have defeated Western, as well as the Saints now hitting five GNAC wins, equalizing them for the best GNAC season in program history.
 
The Saints were very much in the first two sets, but down the stretch came up just short, falling by three then two points. In the third, the SMU fortune changed with the Saints jumping out to a 16-13 lead when Emily Garten notched an ace. However, WWU would go on a five-point run to take the lead and put Saint Martin's in a spot where they could easily throw in the towel. The Saints went back in front as a Jennifer Soha kill made it 22-21 but, again the Vikings clawed back at 22-22. Emmy Hansen then crushed a ball off the block to lift the Saints back in front before Tiffany Lam scraped an attempted Viking dig for an ace. Garten then delivered a perfectly placed killed off the block to win the crucial set for SMU.
 
The fourth set was pure domination from the Saints using a six-point run with Karla Soto serving and Soha kill to finish it off to take the set 25-18. In the fifth set, with the score tied at three, Soha grabbed another kill to turn the serve to Garten. Two kills from Sirena Peredo, two blocks from Soha, and a block from Soto turned it into a seven-point rally and the Saints were in the driver's seat. Hansen came up with a crucial kill late, then Garten killed to turn in to match point. In the end, it was Garten and Maddy Gooding that combined for the block to put the game on ice and complete the comeback.
 
"This was a gutty road win against one of the best programs in the country," said Head Coach Dan Behnke of the milestone victory, "It was a total team effort. We faced a lot of pressure down two sets, but we stayed the course and played steady ball down the stretch."
 
Peredo put up some absurd numbers with 20 kills and 17 digs. Garten chipped in 16 kills and four aces, while Soha tallied 13 kills and three blocks. Gooding was the blocks leader with five, also chipping in two aces. Soto facilitated the offense with an absurd 55 assists, three aces and 11 digs. Libero Abbey Halstead had 22 digs on the back row.
 
The Saints need just one more win for the best GNAC season in program history and will go for that mark on Saturday when they face off against Simon Fraser University (10-6, 5-3 GNAC). That match is set for 7 PM in Burnaby, BC.