BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University volleyball team extended its winning streak to 16 consecutive matches with a 3-1 victory over Simon Fraser University Saturday afternoon on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
The Vikings closed out the regular season with the 20-25, 25-18, 25-18, 26-24 win over SFU to improve to 21-4 overall (12-0 in Carver Gym) and completed the Great Northwest Athletic Conference slate with a 17-1 record. WWU had already clinched its fourth consecutive GNAC title. Ranked No. 2 in the West Region heading into the final week of the season, WWU will find out during Monday's NCAA Selection Show if they will host or travel to play in the West Regional.
SFU entered the week listed No. 6 in the regional rankings and finished the regular season 17-8 overall and 11-7 in the GNAC.
The Vikings put together another total team performance, with five players tallying at least 10 points in the match.
Junior outside hitter Gabby Gunterman led the Vikings with a 17-kill, 18-dig double-double and also had five block assists and a pair of service aces for 21.5 points
Junior middle Chloe Roetcisoender was a force at the net with 10 kills on a .391 hitting percentage and recorded nine blocks for 15.5 total points.
Junior outside hitter Calley Heilborn continued her double-double binge (19 in 25 matches) with 11 kills and recorded a match-high 25 digs.
Junior pin hitter Tess Biscup (9 kills, 3 blocks) and junior middle Olivia Fairchild (8 kills, 5 blocks) contributed to the balanced team attack. Sophomore setter Malia Aleaga spread the ball around the offense with 45 assists.
The back-and-forth match between border rivals featured 25 tie scores and nine lead changes throughout the four-set matinee. WWU out-hit SFU .270-to-.154 and held a 15.0-to-7.0 edge in blocks.
Brooke Dexter led Simon Fraser with a match-high 18 kills on a .304 hitting percentage, also adding 11 digs for the double-double. Libero Bianca Te had 22 digs to lead the SFU defensive effort.
The Vikings (21-4, 16-1 GNAC) will advance to the postseason earning the GNAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships marking the ninth consecutive season the Vikings will play in the West Regional. WWU will find out its seed and if it will be in a hosting position Monday during the NCAA Championships Selection Show that will air on NCAA.com at 4:30 pm PT/7:30 pm ET.
Kills - Gunterman (17), Heilborn (11), Roetcisoender (10)
Aces - Heilborn (3), Gunterman (2), Lologo (2)
Blocks - Roetcisoender (9), Fairchild (5), Gunterman (5)
Assists - Aleaga (45), Woodruff (2)
Digs - Heilborn (25), Gunterman (18), Woodruff (10)
Points - Gunterman (21.5), Roetcisoender (15.5), Heilborn (15.0), Biscup (11.0), Fairchild (10.5)
The Vikings have locked up the 2021 GNAC Championship marking the fourth consecutive league title. WWU also won the GNAC title in 2017, 2018, 2019 and are now 11-time conference champions. This marks the first time a team has won four consecutive GNAC volleyball titles in the 21-year history of the conference. Over the last five seasons (including 2021), WWU has combined to go 114-17 (.870) with a 83-6 record against GNAC opponents (74-4 in conference play).
WWU completed the regular-season home schedule going 12-0 on WECU Court in Carver Gym and has won 21 consecutive matches in the on-campus venue. The Vikings are now 296-82 (.783) all-time in Carver Gym and since moving back into the renovated facility are 52-1. Western is 181-16 (.919) all-time in Carver Gym in the 22 seasons that head coach Diane Flick-Williams has led the program. WWU's last loss in Carver Gym was a five-set thriller vs. UAA on November 14, 2019, and has since won 21 consecutive matches in Bellingham.
(ALMOST) FINAL GNAC STANDINGS
Here is a look at the almost-final 2021 Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings with Alaska Anchorage and Saint Martin's still to play later tonight. WWU has clinched its fourth consecutive GNAC title to earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA II Championships.
|
2021 STANDINGS
|
CONF
|
PCT
|
OVERALL
|
PCT
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
NEUTRAL
|
STREAK
|
|
1.
|
Western Washington*
|
17-1
|
.944
|
21-4
|
.840
|
12-0
|
8-1
|
1-3
|
Won 16
|
|
2.
|
Central Washington
|
12-6
|
.667
|
16-8
|
.667
|
11-1
|
4-5
|
1-2
|
Won 1
|
|
3.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
11-6
|
.647
|
18-11
|
.621
|
9-3
|
8-5
|
1-3
|
Won 1
|
|
4.
|
Simon Fraser
|
11-7
|
.611
|
17-8
|
.680
|
7-2
|
5-5
|
5-1
|
Lost 3
|
|
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
11-7
|
.611
|
18-12
|
.600
|
11-2
|
5-8
|
2-2
|
Won 4
|
|
|
Seattle Pacific
|
11-7
|
.611
|
15-10
|
.600
|
11-1
|
3-7
|
1-2
|
Lost 1
|
|
7.
|
Montana State Billings
|
7-11
|
.389
|
12-16
|
.429
|
9-5
|
3-9
|
0-2
|
Lost 1
|
|
8.
|
Saint Martin's
|
3-14
|
.176
|
10-17
|
.370
|
3-7
|
2-8
|
5-2
|
Lost 6
|
|
9.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
4-14
|
.223
|
7-19
|
.269
|
4-6
|
2-13
|
1-0
|
Won 1
|
|
10.
|
Western Oregon
|
2-16
|
.111
|
4-21
|
.160
|
2-7
|
0-10
|
2-4
|
Lost 3
|
|
* 2021 GNAC Champions
Saturday's GNAC Results
at #14 Western Washington 3, Simon Fraser 1
at Central Washington 3, Montana State Billings 1
at Northwest Nazarene 3, Seattle Pacific 2
at Alaska Fairbanks 3, Western Oregon 0
Saint Martin's at Alaska Anchorage, 7 pm PT/8 pm AKT
|
SERIES HISTORY VS. SIMON FRASER
WWU earned the season sweep over Simon Fraser, also recording a five-set victory in the GNAC opener for both schools on September 18 on Burnaby Mountain (25-13, 19-25, 20-25, 25-23, 15-9). WWU leads the all-time series 70-34 with a current nine-match winning streak (won 21 of last 22). WWU is 31-6 all-time vs. SFU in home games.
Here is a match-by-match look at the 2021 season through the end of the 2021 regular season:
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
|
Score
|
Score-by-set
|
|
9/3
|
Sonoma State
|
W
|
3-1
|
26-24,23-25,25-18,25-18
|
|
9/4
|
MSU Denver (#11)
|
W
|
3-2
|
25-21,24-26,18-25,30-28,15-7
|
|
9/5
|
Chaminade
|
W
|
3-1
|
25-20,22-25,25-23,25-18
|
|
9/10
|
vs. Wayne State (#17)
|
L
|
0-3
|
22-25,17-25,22-25
|
|
9/10
|
vs. Lewis (#5)
|
L
|
0-3
|
16-25,24-26,16-25
|
|
9/11
|
vs. Lynn (RV)
|
W
|
3-2
|
22-25,25-16,23-25,25-20,15-11
|
|
9/11
|
vs. Cal State San Bernardino (#6)
|
L
|
2-3
|
23-25,35-33,25-17,21-25,13-15
|
|
9/18
|
at Simon Fraser* (#20)
|
W
|
3-2
|
25-13,19-25,20-25,25-23,15-9
|
|
9/23
|
at Central Washington*
|
L
|
1-3
|
13-25,25-19,15-25,23-25
|
|
9/25
|
at Northwest Nazarene*
|
W
|
3-1
|
25-13,25-27,25-22,25-22
|
|
10/2
|
Alaska Fairbanks*
|
W
|
3-2
|
25-13,20-25,25-23,23-25,15-13
|
|
10/7
|
at Western Oregon*
|
W
|
3-1
|
25-12,23-25,25-20,25-17
|
|
10/9
|
at Saint Martin's*
|
W
|
3-1
|
25-19,25-17,21-25,25-19
|
|
10/14
|
Seattle Pacific*
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-22,27-25,25-22
|
|
10/16
|
Montana State Billings*
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-17,25-11,25-18
|
|
10/21
|
Northwest Nazarene*
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-14,25-14,25-12
|
|
10/23
|
Central Washington*
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-13,25-22,25-22
|
|
10/28
|
at Alaska Fairbanks*
|
W
|
3-2
|
23-25,27-25,25-16,21-25,15-11
|
|
10/30
|
at Alaska Anchorage*
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-22,25-23,25-19
|
|
11/4
|
Saint Martin's*
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-22,25-15,25-23
|
|
11/6
|
Western Oregon*
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-17,25-17,25-18
|
|
11/8
|
Alaska Anchorage*
|
W
|
3-1
|
25-21,23-25,28-26,25-22
|
|
11/11
|
at Montana State Billings*
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-15,25-23,25-15
|
|
11/13
|
at Seattle Pacific*
|
W
|
3-1
|
24-26,25-18,25-19,25-23
|
|
11/20
|
Simon Fraser*
|
W
|
3-1
|
20-25,25-18,25-18,26-24
|
WWU finished the 2021 regular season at 21-4 overall and 17-1 in GNAC play, going 8-2 in three-set matches, 8-1 in four-set contests and 5-1 in five sets. Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2021 season:
|
2021 RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall Record
|
21-4
|
|
Streak
|
W16
|
|
Home
|
12-0
|
|
Away
|
8-1
|
|
Neutral
|
1-3
|
|
GNAC Record
|
17-1
|
|
3-Set Matches
|
8-2
|
|
4-Set Matches
|
8-1
|
|
5-Set Matches
|
5-1
|
|
Ranked Opponents
|
2-3
|
|
Record by Jersey
|
|
Navy Blue
|
7-1
|
|
White
|
2-0
|
|
Light Blue
|
7-2
|
|
Dark Gray
|
5-1
|
WWU extended its winning streak to 16 consecutive matches, tied for the 8th-longest in program history. The streak dates back to a four-set road victory over Northwest Nazarene on September 25. The Vikings were perfect during October going 9-0, with five 3-0 sweeps. WWU has now recorded a double-digit winning streak in each of the last six "full" seasons: 17 (2019), 30 (2018), 20 (2017), 11 (2016), 16 (2015). Here is a look at the longest winning streaks in program history:
|
Rk
|
Streak
|
Year (Dates)
|
|
1.
|
30
|
2018 (Aug. 25-Nov. 30)
|
|
2.
|
24
|
2003 (Aug. 29-Nov. 15)
|
|
3.
|
21
|
2007 (Sept. 13-Nov. 15)
|
|
4.
|
20
|
2017 (Sept. 19-Dec. 1)
|
|
|
20
|
2001 (Aug. 25-Oct. 27)
|
|
6.
|
18
|
2002 (Sept. 14-Nov. 16)
|
|
7.
|
17
|
2019 (Sept. 5-Oct. 17)
|
|
8.
|
16
|
2021 (Sept. 25-current)
|
|
|
16
|
2015 (Sept. 5-Oct. 17)
|
The Vikings have now won 87 of their last 100 matches dating back to the 2018 season (87-13/.870) when the Vikings were the NCAA II national runner-up. WWU is also 114-17 (.870) 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.
Currently in its 50th season as a varsity intercollegiate sport at WWU, the Western volleyball program has risen to elite level by advancing to the NCAA Division II Championships in each of the last eight seasons (2021 will be 9 straight) and 14 of the last 19 dating back to the 2001 season. The winner of 11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference, Western won the 2018 GNAC title with a perfect 20-0 record, the 2017 championship by posting a 19-1 league, became a 3-peat champion with an 18-2 mark in 2019 and clinched the 2021 title with a 17-1 record. Led by 22nd-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams (481-116/.806) the Vikings have posted a 232-46 record over the last 10 seasons (.835 winning percentage) and have played in the NCAA II West Region championship match four of the last five 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, and have advanced to the NCAA Final Four in two of the past five seasons (2015 and 2018).
