Box Score

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Outside hitter Rachel Roeder (Sr., Sammamish/Issaquah) had 12 kills, 10 of them in the final two sets, as nationally ranked Western Washington University claimed its 11th consecutive victory by defeating Simon Fraser University, 21-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-13, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball match on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the Whatcom Community College Pavilion.

The Vikings, ranked No. 15 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll, improved to 11-2 overall and 5-0 in the GNAC.

Simon Fraser fell to 6-7 overall, 2-3 in the GNAC, with its third straight loss. Christine Howlett led the Clan with 11 kills, and Tessa May added 10.

The Vikings dropped the opening set, falling behind 13-4 and being down by as much as 11 before a late charge of seven straight points made the margin more respectable.

Outside hitter Arielle Turner (So., Leavenworth/Cascade), who finished with 10 kills five service aces, and four blocks, had a key role in WWU's set two and three victories.

With the game tied at 3-3 in the second set, Turner served 10 straight points, including three aces, helping the Vikings take a 13-3 lead. They never led by less than seven points after that.

"Arielle Turner turned the match around for us with her serving," said WWU coach Diane Flick (16th year, 328-87). "She went behind the line and got us on a roll."

The third frame was tied at 15-15 when Turner served six straight points. Roeder had four kills and a block in the burst.

WWU was never threatened in the final set, opening up an 18-7 advantage.

"It's been our journey this season that we've been up and down," Flick said. "But we've never had a problem fighting, and that's something we can rely on night in and night out."

Jennica McPherson (Sr., Seattle/Kennedy) had 11 kills and no errors in 25 attacks for the Vikings. Middle blocker Kayleigh Harper (R-Fr., Oak Harbor) had nine blocks.

The Vikings are at Montana State University Billings on Thursday, Oct. 1 (7 p.m. MT) for a GNAC counter.