FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The No. 2 nationally-ranked Western Washington University volleyball team remained unbeaten with a three-set sweep over Alaska Fairbanks Thursday evening in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action on Alaska Airlines Court.

 

The Vikings defeated the Nanooks 25-18, 25-19, 25-17 to remain one of four unbeaten teams at the NCAA Division II level, improving to 17-0 overall and 9-0 in GNAC play. WWU has now won 47 consecutive conference matches going back to 2017 and is 47-1 over its last 48 matches. The Vikings won their 11^th consecutive match in Fairbanks, sending the third-place Nanooks to a 9-8 overall record and 6-3 mark in league play.

 

"As always, it was a tough battle with Alaska. I thought we played well in many facets of the game…our blocking was solid, our serve and receive was good, and our setter-to-middle connection was outstanding," said 20^th-year WWU head coach Diane Flick-Williams.

 

Senior All-American middle Kayleigh Harper led the Vikings with 12 kills on a .579 hitting percentage, adding 4 blocks (3 block assists, 1 block solo) for a team-high 14.5 points. Sophomore middle Chloe Roetcisoender added a career-high-tying 7 blocks and 8 kills for 11.5 points.

 

"Kayleigh did a great job moving around and being very effective from different spots on the court," added Flick-Williams. "She was solid throughout and anchored our team tonight."

 

Sophomore outside hitter Gabby Gunterman tallied her 11^th double-double of the season with 10 kills and 13 digs. Redshirt freshman outside hitter Calley Heilborn recorded a match-high 15 digs and defensive specialist Tupu Lologo had all three of the Vikings service aces. 

 

Lahra Weber led UAF with 11 kills (.108)  and setter Cate Whiting had a 28-assist, 13-dig double-double.

 

SET 1 (WWU 25, UAF 18): The Vikings used a massive 12-3 mid-set run to turn a 6-4 deficit into a 16-9 lead, and held off a late UAF comeback to take the opening set 25-18. The Vikings led by as many as 12 points at 22-10, but the Nanooks used a 6-1 run, including staving off three consecutive set points, to pull to within six points at 24-18. Gabby Gunterman's team-high fourth kill of the set ended the set to put the Vikings up 1-0. WWU was limited to a .182 hitting percentage, but WWU's defense was even better holding UAF to a .029 percentage. The Vikings were also strong at the net out-blocking Fairbanks 5-1.

 

SET 2 (WWU 25, UAF 19): The second set was similar to the opening stanza, with the Vikings overcoming an early deficit, but this time WWU also had to battle through seven mid-set ties. Western faced a four-point deficit at 12-8, but came out of a timeout on a 4-0 run to tie things up at 12-12, the first of seven consecutive ties until the Vikings pulled away from an 18-18 deadlock. WWU ended the set on a 7-1 run, with a Gunterman kill again ending things to go up 2-0 for the 25-19 win.

 

SET 3 (WWU 27, UAF 25): The Vikings finished off the sweep with a 27-25 third-set victory, building a sizeable lead, and then holding off UAF at the finish. WWU used a 9-0 spurt to build a 10-3 lead, but the Nanooks battled back going on a 6-2 run to pull to within three points at 18-15. UAF used a 7-2 to turn a 21-16 deficit into a 23-23 tie. UAF staved off a pair of match points, before Tupu Lologo sealed the victory with her third service ace of the match for the 27-25 win.

 

Kills - Harper (12), Gunterman (10), Roetcisoender (8)

Aces - Lologo (3)

Blocks - Roetcisoender (7), Harper (4), Aleaga (3)

Assists - Aleaga (38)

Digs - Heilborn (15), Gunterman (13), Lologo (10)

Points - Harper (14.5), Roetcisoender (11.5), Gunterman (11.5)

 

The Vikings (17-0, 9-0 GNAC) remain in Alaska facing GNAC rival Alaska Anchorage (12-5, 7-2 GNAC) on Saturday in the Alaska Airlines Center in a battle of the top two teams in the conference standings. UAA was defeated in five sets against Simon Fraser Thursday night (25-23, 25-14, 23-25, 23-25, 11-15) after leading the match 2-0. The match vs. Seawolves can be followed online via webcast at GNAC.tv and live stats at 

 

With tonight's win over the Nanooks, WWU is 9-0 in conference play and 48-1 in GNAC play dating back to the 2017 season. WWU has now won 47 consecutive matches in GNAC play.

 

»        Current 47-match GNAC winning streak dating back to 2017 (last loss: 9/16/17 at NNU).

»        Recorded first 20-win season in GNAC history last season.

»        82-7 record in GNAC play over the last five seasons (2015-19).

»        The GNAC record for conference winning streak is 57 by WWU from 2001-04.

 

WWU now leads the all-time series 46-7, extending its winning streak to 22 consecutive matches with Thursday's 3-0 victory (dates back to 2008). The last 16 victories in the series have been 3-0 sweeps. WWU has now won its last 11 meetings in Fairbanks dating back to 3-2 loss in 2008 and owns an all-time 22-6 record in Fairbanks (23-0 in Bellingham, 1-1 neutral).

 

The Vikings have had success playing in Alaska, winning 24 of their last 26 matches in the state of Alaska, including an 11-match winning streak that was extended Thursday in Fairbanks. WWU enters Saturday's match vs. Alaska Anchorage with a 13-2 all-time at the Alaska Airlines Center since it debuted in 2014. The record includes a 5-1 mark vs. UAA, 5 wins in the 2015 and 2016 NCAA II West Regionals and 3 wins in the 2017 D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase.

 

WWU is 6-0 in true road games this season, and 12-0 in matches away from Bellingham. Dating back to the 2017 season, the Vikings have won 26 consecutive away games (neutral-site games not included). WWU has played 12 of 17 matches on the road this season, with competition in Alaska, Florida, California, Oregon, Montana and Washington.

 

Here is an early look at the GNAC standings through matches played on Thursday:

 

 

WWU is 17-0 on the season, extending the record for the best start to a season in program history. Passed the old mark of a 13-0 start in 2008. Both this season and the 2008 season follow NCAA II national runner-up finishes by the Vikings.

 

The Vikings have now won 47 of their last 48 matches dating back to last season. WWU is also 74-8 dating back to the start of the 2017 season.

 

Fans can follow WWU Volleyball online at WWUVikings.com/VB, and via social media on Twitter (@WWUVolleyball), Instagram (@WWUVB) and Facebook (@WWUVolleyball). All home matches feature a live webcast, as well as most road matches, with links on how to follow the games available at WWUVikings.com/Live.

 

The WWU volleyball program has risen to elite level by advancing to the NCAA Division II Championships in each of the last seven seasons and 13 of the last 18 dating back to the 2001 season. The winner of nine Great Northwest Athletic Conference championships, Western won the 2018 GNAC title with a perfect 20-0 record and the 2017 championship by posting a 19-1 league. Led by 20^th-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams, the Vikings have played in the NCAA II West Region championship match each of the last four seasons (2015-18), winning titles in 2015 and 2018. WWU played for the NCAA II national championship in 2007 and 2018, both national runner-up finishes, have advanced to the NCAA Final Four in two of the past four seasons (2015 and 2015).