Sept. 30, 2006
Box Score
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Middle blockers Angie Alvord (So., Laurel/Meridian) and Tiana Roma (So., Edmonds/Edmonds-Woodway) each had 16 kills as Western Washington University defeated University of Alaska Fairbanks, 26-30, 30-20, 30-25, 30-19, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball match Saturday on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium.
The Vikings, ranked No.6 in the season's first Pacific Region rating released earlier this week, improved to 10-5 overall and 6-1 in the GNAC. Outside hitter Jaime Anderson (Jr., SeaTac/Mount Rainier) added 15 kills for Western, which has eight wins in its last nine matches.
UAF fell to 3-11 overall and 2-5 in conference play despite a match-high 18 kills from middle blocker Megan Thigpen.
The Nanooks won the opening frame, the first time Western had dropped a game at home this season. UAF used a 7-1 run to take a 26-22 lead, and the Vikings never got closer than two points after that.
Western scored the first seven points of the second game. UAF came back to take a 13-12 lead, but the Vikings went on a 6-0 run to go up 18-13 and were never threatened from that point.
In the third game, Western trailed 24-23, but closed out the frame with a 7-1 run in which three of the first four points came on kills by Anderson. The Vikings then carried that momentum into the final game, using a run of seven straight points to take an 8-3 lead and pulling away from there.
Western matched its season-high in blocks with 14. Roma led the way with seven, and Alvord and right-side hitter Marissa Hill (So., North Bend/Mount Si) were each involved in five.
Roma had 10 kills and no errors in 19 attempts in the final two games.
"In spite of the fact our passing was inconsistent, we were able to get the ball to Tiana Roma, who had an outstanding match," said Western coach Diane Flick.
Libero Courtney Schneider (Jr., Snohomish) had a match-high 33 digs for the Vikings, and setter Katie Robinson (Jr., Everson/Nooksack Valley) had 53 assists, three service aces, seven digs and three blocks.
It was Western's 11th consecutive victory over UAF. The Vikings are 4-0 at home this season and 60-4 since 2000.
The Vikings travel to AVCA/NCAA II No.15-ranked Central Washington University on Thursday (7 p.m.) for a GNAC match.
