Box Score

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Middle blocker Kayla Erickson (Sr., Gig Harbor/Peninsula) had a match-high 17 kills on .483 attack efficiency, leading Western Washington University to a 25-14, 25-14, 25-18, sweep of Western Oregon University in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball match on Thursday, Oct. 9, at the New P.E. Building on the WOU campus.

The Vikings, rated No.10 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll, improved to 13-4 overall and 6-2 in the GNAC.

WOU, which suffered its eighth consecutive defeat, fell to 2-14 overall and 2-7 in the GNAC. Hannah Deede paced the Wolves with nine kills.

"It's always great to get a win on the road," said WWU volleyball coach Diane Flick (15th year, 309-82). "Kayla (Erickson) did a great job throughout the match in terms of kills and attack percentage."

The Vikings led the first set by just one, 11-10, before back-to-back kills by Rachel Roeder (Jr., Sammamish/Issaquah) keyed a run of five straight points that began a 14-4 charge to close out the set.

WWU won the second frame by running off nine straight points after leading 16-14, then gradually pulled away in the third set to complete the sweep.

Erickson's 17 kills came in just 29 attempts, and she had just three attack errors. Roeder and Kelsey Moore (Sr., Bellevue/Newport) each contributed eight kills for the Vikings.

Sheila De La Cruz had a match-high 28 digs for WOU.

WWU libero Samantha Hutchinson (Sr., University Place/Curtis), the national dig leader, had 15 for the Vikings, and Bryce Larson (So., Mukilteo/Kamiak) added 13.

The Vikings now hold a 30-14 series edge over WOU, winning 10 of the last 11 meetings.

WWU is at Saint Martin's on Saturday, Oct. 11 (7 p.m.) for a GNAC counter.