Sept. 24, 2009
Box Score
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Middle blocker Jackie Matthisen had match highs of 28 kills and 18 digs as University of Alaska Anchorage defeated Western Washington University, 25-20, 17-25, 25-17, 21-25, 15-11, on Thursday night in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball match on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium.
The Vikings, who had won four of their last five contests, fell to 9-5 overall and 1-1 in GNAC play. The loss snapped their 17-match series winning streak against UAA and was their first loss to the Seawolves in 11 meetings at Carver Gym.
UAA improved to 9-5 overall and 2-1 in league action. The Seawolves also got 15 kills and 15 digs from McKenzie Moss and 15 kills from Cortney Lundberg, who had six blocks to tie for match-high honors with the Vikings' Emily Jepsen (So., Kennewick/Kamiakin).
Outside hitter Marlayna Geary (Fr., Tacoma/Bellarmine Prep) led Western with 15 kills, 14 digs and two blocks. Megan Amundson (Jr., Stanwood), who had seen action in just two plays over the last five matches because of a groin injury, added 14 kills.
Matthisen had three kills during a 9-5 run to snap a 6-6 tie and close out the decisive fifth set.
The Seawolves won the first set, breaking a 20-20 tie with five straight points, two on kills by Matthisen. Western used a pair of 5-0 runs to prevail in set two, but UAA scored 10 of the first 12 points as it took the third set. The Vikings came back in set four, Geary closing it out with two kills after UAA had closed to 23-21.
The loss was just the ninth for Western in 93 matches at Carver Gym under coach Diane Flick and only the Vikings' 16th in 143 GNAC counters.
WWU entertains Alaska Fairbanks in a league contest Saturday.
