Box Score

SEATTLE, Wash. - Right-side hitter Jennica McPherson (Jr., Seattle/Kennedy) had 15 kills, 11 digs and four blocks as Western Washington University defeated Seattle Pacific University, 29-27, 25-12, 25-27, 25-15, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball match Thursday, Sept. 25, at Royal Brougham Pavilion on the SPU campus.

The Vikings, rated No.11 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll, improved to 10-3 overall and 3-1 in conference action with their third straight victory.

SPU, which dropped to 9-4 overall and 3-2 in GNAC play, got a match-high 21 kills from Madi Cavelli.

"We did a good job of battling the whole match," said WWU coach Diane Flick (15th year, 306-81). "Our focus was good and we did a good job of competing in tight situations."

Besides McPherson, WWU had three other players with double-figure kills. Kayla Erickson (Sr., Gig Harbor/Peninsula) had 13 on .355 hitting, Joellee Buckner (R-Fr., Colville) 12 on .391 hitting and Kelsey Moore (Sr., Bellevue/Newport) 10.

The Vikings' Samantha Hutchinson (Sr., University Place/Curtis), who leads the nation in digs, had a match-high 29. Bryce Larson (So., Mukilteo/Kamiak) and Emily Cotter (Sr., University Place/Curtis) each had 11 digs.

There were 12 ties and six lead changes in the first set and 13 ties and four lead changes in the third set.

WWU travels to Montana State Billings for a GNAC counter on Saturday, Sept. 27 (7 p.m.).