Oct. 24, 2004
Box Score
SEATTLE, Wash. - Western Washington University freshman libero Courtney Schneider (Snohomish) tied a school record with 38 digs, but the nationally ranked Vikings had an attack percentage of just .096, falling to Seattle Pacific University, 28-30, 30-28, 30-21, 30-25, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball match Saturday at Royal Brougham Pavilion.
The Vikings, rated No.23 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association/NCAA Division II Top 25 and No.9 in Pacific Region Poll, lost for the fourth time in their last five matches, dropping to 12-7 overall and 8-4 in GNAC play.
Seattle Pacific, which had dropped all five of its previous matches this season against nationally ranked teams, improved to 11-9 overall and 7-5 in league play. The Falcons, who snapped a seven-match series losing streak, were led by Jessica Bauder with a match-high 24 kills, 29 digs and three blocks.
Western middle blocker Kristy Carstensen (Sr., Puyallup) had 14 kills, 10 digs and three service aces, and outside hitter Brianna Murray (Sr., Everett/Cascade) had 10 kills, 18 digs and three aces.
In game one, the Vikings scored four straight points to take a 27-20 lead and then hung on for the win. Down by four points, 27-23, in game two, they rallied to within one, 29-28, before losing on a kill by Katie Ralph, who had a match-high six blocks.
Seattle Pacific got out to a quick 11-4 lead in game three, Western never getting closer than five after that. In game four, the Vikings held leads of 10-5 and 23-21, only to have the Falcons score nine of the last eleven points to close out the match.
Seattle Pacific hit .190 and had a 12-3 advantage in blocks, setter Jenna Von Moos having six blocks, 16 digs and 55 assists.
Western had seven aces and 12 service errors, and the Falcons had six aces and 17 errors.
Schneider tied the school dig record set last season by All-American Nicola Parker.
It is just the third time in the last three seasons that Western has failed to hit .100 in a match, and just the seventh time in coach Diane Flick's five-year coaching career.
The Vikings next travel to Alaska for GNAC matches with University of Alaska Anchorage on Fri., Oct. 29 and University of Alaska Fairbanks on Sat., Oct. 30.
