BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University volleyball team extended its winning streak to 12 consecutive matches with a convincing sweep over Western Oregon University Saturday evening on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
The No. 18 nationally-ranked Vikings improved to 17-4 overall and extended its lead in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings with a 13-1 mark in league play. WWU also won its 19th consecutive match in Carver Gym, improving to 10-0 on WECU Court this season. Western Oregon dropped to 3-18 overall and 1-13 in GNAC play.
"I thought we ran a very balanced offense tonight with Malia (Aleaga) putting our hitters in spots to score all night, especially the middles," said WWU head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "I thought we had great defense as well, both at the net and on the floor. We are going to look to keep this momentum going and look forward to hosting UAA Monday night in Carver."
WWU combined to hit .315 in the match with junior middles Chloe Roetcisoender and Olivia Fairchild, and sophomore outside hitter Calley Heilborn each recording 10 kills.
Heilborn notched her 15th double-double in 21 matches this season also recording 12 digs.
Fairchild hit .533 while recording her eighth double-digit kill performance of the season. The junior middle added a match-high eight blocks for 14.5 points.
Roetcisoender hit .364 in the match with eight of her 10 kills coming in the second set.
Sophomore setter Malia Aleaga distributed the ball evenly while recording 39 assists, five digs and three blocks.
Sophomore libero Kasey Woodruff led all players with 15 digs.
Laney O'Neil had a 12-assist, 11-dig double-double to lead the Wolves.
SET 1 (WWU 25, WOU 17): After falling to an early 5-3 deficit, the Vikings rallied to win 13 of the next 15 points, eventually claiming the first set 25-17. After winning six straight to make it 16-7, WWU was able to hold a consistent lead of six or more until the conclusion of the set. The visiting Wolves wouldn't go down quietly, putting together a late 6-2 run, but couldn't hold on against the Vikings. WWU outhit WOU .448-to-.188, With Olivia Fairchild and Calley Heilborn tallying five kills each, with Fairchild recording a 1.000 hitting percentage. Heilborn also had four digs in an impressive all around first set performance.
SET 2 (WWU 25, WOU 17): Another highly contested start gave way to an early 12-5 Western lead, which they would never relinquish, taking the set 25-17. WOU mounted a valiant comeback attempt, going on a 9-3 run to bring it within a point on two separate occasions. But an 8-2 run, catalyzed by five Chloe Roetcisoender kills, solidified the set for the Vikings. Roetcisoender finished the set with 8 kills on a .533 hitting percentage and one service ace, leading the Vikings to a 2-0 lead in the match.
SET 3 (WWU 25, WOU 18): : The Wolves once again came into the set firing, jumping out to another 5-3 lead. The two teams exchanged scoring streaks, taking it to 10-10, until an 8-3 run decisively claimed the momentum, and eventually the set, for the Vikings at 25-18. The set was marked by an outstanding defensive performance from Kasey Woodruff, who tallied eight of her match-high 15 digs.
The Vikings (17-4, 13-1 GNAC) hosts a rare Monday match-up against GNAC rival Alaska Anchorage (17-9, 10-4) at 7 pm. UAA was dealt a 3-0 sweep at Central Washington Saturday, falling to 10-4 in GNAC play. The Seawolves relinquished the conferences second spot to Simon Fraser, a 3-1 winner of Saint Martin's Saturday in Burnaby. The complete 2021 WWU Volleyball schedule, complete with results and links to follow matches live, can be found online at wwuvikings.com/VB.
Kills – Roetcisoender (10), Fairchild (10), Heilborn (10)
Aces – Gunterman (2), Roetcisoender (1), Lologo (1)
Blocks – Fairchild (8), Aleaga (3), Biscup (3)
Assists – Aleaga (39), Woodruff (3), Roetcisoender (2)
Digs – Woodruff (15), Heilborn (12), Lologo (9)
Points – Fairchild (14.5), Roetcisoender (12.0), Heilborn (10.5), Gunterman (9.5)
Here is a look at the 2021 Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings following play on Saturday, with the Vikings remaining in first place in the conference:
|
2021 STANDINGS
|
CONF
|
PCT
|
OVERALL
|
PCT
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
NEUTRAL
|
STREAK
|
|
1.
|
Western Washington
|
13-1
|
.929
|
17-4
|
.810
|
10-0
|
6-1
|
1-3
|
Won 12
|
|
2.
|
Simon Fraser
|
11-4
|
.733
|
17-5
|
.773
|
7-2
|
5-2
|
5-1
|
Won 2
|
|
3.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
10-4
|
.714
|
17-9
|
.654
|
8-3
|
8-3
|
1-3
|
Lost 1
|
|
4.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
9-5
|
.643
|
13-8
|
.619
|
10-0
|
2-6
|
1-2
|
Won 2
|
|
|
Central Washington
|
9-5
|
.642
|
13-7
|
.650
|
10-0
|
2-5
|
1-2
|
Won 3
|
|
6.
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
8-7
|
.533
|
15-12
|
.556
|
8-2
|
5-8
|
2-2
|
Won 1
|
|
7.
|
Montana State Billings
|
5-9
|
.357
|
10-14
|
.417
|
8-4
|
2-8
|
0-2
|
Lost 1
|
|
8.
|
Saint Martin's
|
3-11
|
.214
|
10-14
|
.417
|
3-5
|
2-7
|
5-2
|
Lost 3
|
|
9.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
2-12
|
.143
|
5-17
|
.227
|
3-5
|
1-12
|
1-0
|
Lost 3
|
|
10.
|
Western Oregon
|
1-13
|
.071
|
3-18
|
.143
|
1-6
|
0-8
|
2-4
|
Lost 3
|
|
Saturday's GNAC Results
at #18 Western Washington 3, Western Oregon 0
at Simon Fraser 3, Saint Martin's 1
Alaska Fairbanks 3, at Northwest Nazarene 0
at Seattle Pacific 3, Montana State Billings 1
at Central Washington 3, Alaska Anchorage 0
|
SERIES HISTORY VS. WESTERN OREGON
The Vikings swept the season series vs. Western Oregon and are now 47-14 all-time vs. the Wolves. Saturday's victory extended the Vikings winning streak to 19 straight over WOU. Also defeated WOU in four sets (25-12,23-25,25-20, 25-17) on Oct. 7 in Monmouth. WWU has now defeated the Wolves in 3-0 sweeps in 11 of the last 12 head-to-head matches.
Here is a match-by-match look at the 2021 season through the first 21 matches of the 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*
|
|
7 pm
|
Rivalry Match
|
WWU is 17-4 overall and 13-1 in GNAC play, going 7-2 in three-set matches, 5-1 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
|
17-4
|
|
Streak
|
W12
|
|
Home
|
10-0
|
|
Away
|
6-1
|
|
Neutral
|
1-3
|
|
GNAC Record
|
13-1
|
|
3-Set Matches
|
7-2
|
|
4-Set Matches
|
5-1
|
|
5-Set Matches
|
5-1
|
|
Ranked Opponents
|
2-3
|
|
Record by Jersey
|
|
Navy Blue
|
5-1
|
|
White
|
2-0
|
|
Light Blue
|
6-2
|
|
Dark Gray
|
4-1
|
WWU is now 10-0 in home matches on WECU Court in Carver Gym this season, after going 8-0 during the abbreviated spring season. The Vikings own an all-time 294-82 (.782) record in the on-campus facility and since moving back into the renovated facility in 2017, WWU is 50-1. Western is 179-16 (.918) 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 19 consecutive matches in Bellingham.
WWU has a current 12-match winning streak, a stretch of victories that began with a four-set road win 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).
The Vikings have now won 83 of their last 96 matches dating back to the 2018 season (83-13/.865) when the Vikings were the NCAA II national runner-up. WWU is also 110-17 (.866) 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 and 14 of the last 19 dating back to the 2001 season. The winner of 10 Great Northwest Athletic Conference championships, Western won the 2018 GNAC title with a perfect 20-0 record, the 2017 championship by posting a 19-1 league and became a 3-peat champion with an 18-2 mark in 2019. Led by 22nd-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams (477-116/.804) the Vikings have posted a 228-46 record over the last 10 seasons (.832 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).
