LACEY, Wash. – Western Washington University volleyball twins Chloe Roetcisoender and Tess Biscup led the way for the No. 4 nationally-ranked Vikings in a three-set sweep over Saint Martin's Saturday evening in Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball action in Marcus Pavilion.
The Vikings improved to 23-1 overall and maintained a two-match lead in the GNAC standings with a 15-1 league mark. WWU hosts second-place Alaska Anchorage (13-3 GNAC) in its next match on Thursday in Carver Gym.
"We had a great offensive match and Malia (Aleaga) was the hub of that wheel," said WWU head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "Our middles were really effective and that comes from the great first ball contacts and our ball handlers."
Roetcisoender, who got married prior to the season, recorded 10 kills on a .529 hitting percentage and recorded 5 blocks to finish with a team-high 12.5 points. Biscup added 9 kills on a .615 hitting percentage and recorded a match-high 6 blocks. The twins combined for 19 kills with a .567 hitting percentage and 11 blocks.
Aleaga, a redshirt freshman that leads the conference in assists per game, efficiently ran the offense that recorded a .402 hitting percentage (44-9-87) while dishing out 40 assists.
Redshirt freshman outside hitter Calley Heilborn recorded a 19-dig, 10-kill double-double and senior All-American middle Kayleigh Harper contributed 9 kills (.692) and 3 blocks.
Senior libero Mae Thungc helped anchor the defense with 14 digs, moving her past 1,000 for her career. She now has 1,002 career digs to become the 15th player in program history to reach the 1,000-dig milestone.
"Mae has dedicated herself every day to get better at her craft and I couldn't be happier for her to have reached the 1,000-dig mark," added Flick-Williams. "She has joined an impressive group and it is all due to her hard work."
Saint Martin's (0-25, 0-16 GNAC) was led by 11 kills from Mackenzie Carter and 12 digs by Kylie Alos.
Kills - Roetcisoender (10), Heilborn (10), Harper (9), Biscup (9)
Aces - Aleaga (1), Lologo (1), Thungc (1)
Blocks - Biscup (6), Roetcisoender (5), Harper (3)
Assists - Aleaga (40)
Digs - Heilborn (19), Thungc (14), Woodruff (8)
Points - Roetcisoender (12.5), Biscup (12.0), Heilborn (11.5), Harper (10.5)
The Vikings (23-1, 14-1 GNAC) returns to Carver Gym for the final two regular-season home matches of the season beginning with a showdown on Thursday vs. second-place Alaska Anchorage (18-6, 13-3 GNAC). Senior Night vs. Alaska Fairbanks will be Saturday, with both matches featuring 7 pm first serve.
Here is an early look at the GNAC standings through matches played on Saturday, with the Vikings extending their lead in the conference with a 15-1 record.
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VOLLEYBALL
|
CONF
|
PCT
|
OVERALL
|
PCT
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
NEUTRAL
|
STREAK
|
|
Western Washington
|
15-1
|
.938
|
23-1
|
.958
|
8-0
|
8-1
|
7-0
|
Won 6
|
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
13-3
|
.813
|
18-6
|
.750
|
9-3
|
6-3
|
3-0
|
Won 2
|
|
Simon Fraser
|
12-4
|
.750
|
16-8
|
.667
|
6-2
|
7-3
|
3-3
|
Won 3
|
|
Central Washington
|
11-5
|
.688
|
16-8
|
.667
|
7-1
|
5-5
|
4-2
|
Won 4
|
|
Alaska
|
10-6
|
.625
|
13-11
|
.542
|
5-3
|
5-5
|
3-3
|
Won 3
|
|
Seattle Pacific
|
8-8
|
.500
|
11-13
|
.458
|
3-6
|
6-4
|
2-4
|
Lost 2
|
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
7-9
|
.438
|
11-12
|
.478
|
3-5
|
5-5
|
3-2
|
Won 1
|
|
Concordia
|
6-10
|
.375
|
8-15
|
.348
|
4-6
|
2-8
|
2-1
|
Lost 3
|
|
Montana State Billings
|
4-12
|
.250
|
7-19
|
.269
|
4-7
|
2-7
|
1-5
|
Lost 6
|
|
Western Oregon
|
2-14
|
.125
|
4-19
|
.173
|
1-5
|
1-10
|
2-4
|
Lost 2
|
|
Saint Martin's
|
0-16
|
.000
|
0-25
|
.000
|
0-9
|
0-9
|
0-7
|
Lost 25
|
|
Saturday's Results (home team in bold)
Western Washington 3, Saint Martin's 0
Central Washington 3, Montana State Billings 1
Simon Fraser 3, Seattle Pacific 2
Alaska Fairbanks 3, Western Oregon 0
Alaska Anchorage 3, Concordia 1
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The Vikings are 53-2 over their last 55 matches dating back to the start of the 2018 season and 80-9 since the beginning of the 2017 campaign.
WWU is coming off the first 20-win season in GNAC history in 2018 and has won the last two GNAC championship titles (9 overall in program history). Including the 15-1 start this season, WWU is 54-2 in GNAC play dating back to the 2017 season, and recently had a 47-match GNAC winning streak snapped.
» Leads GNAC with 15-1 league record this season.
» Recorded first 20-win season in GNAC history last season.
» 88-8 record in GNAC play over the last five seasons (2015-19).
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. Over the last three seasons (includes 2019) the Vikings have combined to go 80-9 overall and 54-2 in conference play, and over the last five seasons are 129-23. Led by 20th-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams, the Vikings have posted a 198-38 record over the last eight seasons (.839 winning percentage) and 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).
