PENSACOLA, Fla. – The No. 3 nationally-ranked Western Washington University volleyball team crossed the country to open the 2019 season, and will head back to Bellingham with a perfect 4-0 record.
 
WWU defeated the Florida Institute of Technology in straight sets on Saturday (25-13, 26-24, 25-20) to finish a perfect 4-0 at the season-opening Springhill Suites Invitational hosted by the University of West Florida. The Vikings impressive run through the tournament field included victories over a pair of ranked opponents (No. 24 West Florida, No. 13 Wheeling) and three total wins over teams that competed in the 2018 NCAA Division II Volleyball Championships.
 
"I am really pleased with the opening weekend…with lots of great play and a lot of lessons learned that we are going to need to shore up for next weekend," said 20^th-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "I am excited to get back in the gym and go back to work."
 
Saturday's victory over Florida Tech was highlighted by another balanced offensive attack, led by a 12-kill, 10-dig double-double from redshirt freshman outside hitter Calley Heilborn (Auburn, WA/Auburn Riverside). Heilborn made her collegiate debut with three double-doubles in the tournament, averaging 3.50 kills and 2.75 digs per set.
 
Senior middle Joslyn Bopray (Spokane, WA/Lewis & Clark) added 8 kills on a .471 hitting percentage and a pair of blocks vs. FIT.
 
"Joslyn had an outstanding performance today on both sides of the ball," added Flick-Williams. "Calley used an array of shots to find the open court."
 
Sophomore outside hitter Gabby Gunterman (Lake Stevens, WA) contributed 8 kills and 19 digs in the tournament finale, putting the finishing touches on an opening weekend that included three double-doubles (kills-digs) and averaging 3.31 kills and 5.00 digs per set.
 
Redshirt freshman setter Malia Aleaga (Burien, WA/Kennedy) efficiently ran the offense with 36 assists, and finished the tournament averaging 12.19 assists per set.
 
Florida Tech junior outside hitter Audrey Keenan recorded a match-high 13 kills to lead the Panthers.
 
In the first set, WWU used a 9-1 run to build an early 12-6 lead, and then capped the 15-13 victory with a 13-5 run to go up 1-0 in the match.
 
FIT battled the Vikings in a tight second set, with the Panthers leading 22-19 late. WWU responded with a 3-0 run to tie things up at 22-22 and faced set point down 24-23, but rattled off three quick points for the 26-24 win. 
 
In the final set, WWU clinched the victory with a 25-20 win, using a 10-4 run to pull away from a 6-6 tie.
  Kills - Heilborn (12), Bopray (8), Gunterman (8)
Aces - Aleaga (2), Heilborn (2), Payne (1)
Blocks - Biscup (3), Bopray (2), Roetcisoender (2)
Assists - Aleaga (36)
Digs - Gunterman (19), Thungc (10), Heilborn (10)
Points - Heilborn (14.5), Bopray (9), Gunterman (9)
  The Vikings remain on the road next week with four matches in the 2019 D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase hosted by Cal Poly Pomona. WWU opens tournament play with a pair of matches on Thursday (9/12) facing Cal State Monterey Bay (10 am) and host Cal Poly Pomona (8 pm). The Vikings will then play single matches on Friday (Chaminade, 2:30 pm) and Saturday (Hawai'i Hilo, 12 pm) to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule. All matches in the D2 West Region Showcase will feature live stats and webcast with links available at WWUVikings.com/VB_Watch.
  At 4-0, the Vikings are off to their best start to a season since opening the 2013 season with seven consecutive victories…this marked the fourth time in the last five seasons the Vikings have opened their season in the state of Florida…WWU has won has won 34 of its last 35 matches dating back to the start of last season…senior middle Kayleigh Harper did not play Saturday, but passed the 1,000-kill mark for her career in the tournament, now one of 14 Vikings to reach that milestone in program history (1,018).

VB🏐 | Congratulations to Kayleigh Harper of @WWUVolleyball on joining the 1,000-kill club in program history during the season-opening Tournament!

500 blocks up next for the All-American middle! pic.twitter.com/JC6Jd3V9Pp
— WWU Athletics (@WWUAthletics) September 7, 2019

  After playing the first eight matches of the 2019 season on the road, the Vikings will make their official Carver Gym debut when they host Northwest Nazarene on WECU Court on Thursday, September 19 with first serve scheduled for 7 pm. The complete 2019 season schedule and additional information on the program can be viewed at WWUVikings.com/VB.
  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 (since start of 2017) the Vikings have combined to go 61-8 overall and 39-1 in conference play, and over the last five seasons are 111-22 (.835). Led by 20^th-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams, the Vikings have posted a 179-37 record over the last eight seasons (.829 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).