Sept. 21, 2002
Box Score
ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Outside hitter Shannon Rowland, middle blocker Meghan Evoy (So., Olympia/Capital) and middle blocker Kristy Carstensen (So., Puyallup) combined for 55 kills as nationally ranked Western Washington University defeated Central Washington University, 25-30, 30-19, 30-21, 35-33, on Saturday in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball contest at Nicholson Pavilion.
The Vikings, ranked No.10 in the most recent AVCA NCAA Division II Top 25, improved to 8-2 overall and 3-0 league with the victory, extending their conference winning streak to 26 (21 in two years as member of GNAC).
Central Washington, which fell to 5-6 overall and suffered just its first league in four matches, was led by Julie Roberts with 17 kills and eight digs.
Rowland had a match-high 21 kills, 10 digs and four service aces, Evoy 18 kills and Carstensen 16 kills (.469 attack percentage)and a match-high seven blocks. Brianna Murray (So., Everett/Cascade) had 16 digs for the Vikings and libero Nicola Parker (Jr., Auburn) 13.
"At the end of the game when it was all one the line, everyone stepped up," said Western coach Diane Flick. "We responded really well to the pressure they applied."
In the fourth game, no team led by more than two points. With the score tied at 33, Evoy had a kill and then served the game winner with Rowland and Carstensen combining on a block.
Western returns for its first GNAC home matches of the season, entertaining Alaska Fairbanks on Friday (7 p.m.) and Alaska Anchorage on Saturday (7 p.m.).
