Nov. 3, 2012
Box Score
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Nationally ranked Western Washington University remained perfect in eight home matches this season as it swept University of Alaska Fairbanks, 25-11, 25-17, 25-11, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball match Saturday night at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the WWU campus.
The Vikings, ranked No.17 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll, improved to 20-3 overall and remained first in the GNAC standings at 13-2. All of their home victories have been in three sets.
UAF fell to 5-15 overall, 3-11 in the GNAC, in a match that lasted just one hour and 11 minutes. The Nanooks were held to a minus-0.38 hitting percentage.
Middle blocker Kayla Erickson (So., Gig Harbor/Peninsula) had seven kills and a match-high seven blocks to lead the Vikings, and outside hitter Marlayna Geary (Sr., Tacoma/Bellarmine Prep) had a match-best eight kills.
Middle blocker Emily Boerger (Jr., Marysville/Marysville-Pilchuck) and Kelsey Moore (So., Bellevue/Newport) each had five blocks as WWU had a 15-3 advantage in that category.
The Vikings also had 10 service aces, three by Jennica McPherson (R-Fr., Seattle/Kennedy) , who also had 10 digs.
WWU setter Laurie Yearout (Sr., Spokane/Lewis & Clark) had 29 assists and libero Samantha Hutchinson (University Place/Curtis) 21 digs, both match highs.
The Vikings scored the first six points in winning the first set. They trailed 11-10 in set two before going on a 15-6 run. In the third set, WWU got out to an 11-2 lead and UAF never got closer than nine after that.
The 20-win season is the eighth for WWU in coach Diane Flick's 13 years (268-72). The Vikings have won 13 straight home matches overall and are 26-1 since late in 2009 season.
WWU has a winning percentage of .904 (113-12) at home after going to a SportCourt surface in 2000 and is 228-78 overall (74.5 percent) overall at Carver Gym.
The Vikings play host to Simon Fraser on Saturday (7 p.m.), Nov. 10, in a GNAC counter.
