SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Led by a career-high 17 kills from junior opposite Tess Biscup and a 17-kill, 12-dig double-double by junior outside hitter Gabby Gunterman, the Western Washington University volleyball team opened the NCAA Championships with a four-set victory over Simon Fraser University Thursday afternoon inside Coussoulis Arena.
 
The No. 2 West Region seed Vikings improved to 22-4 overall with their 17th consecutive victory. WWU advances to the regional semifinal and will face in-state rival No. 6 seed Central Washington at 5 pm on Friday. CWU was a 3-1 winner over No. 3 Chaminade.
 
WWU and SFU battled for the second consecutive match, with Western earning a 3-0 season sweep after winning in five sets on the road and 3-1 on November 20 in Bellingham. Game scores Thursday were 25-22, 23-25, 25-20, 25-23 in favor of the Vikings with the match featuring 20 tie scores.
 
"I think this was one of those matches where we are experiencing something different even though we have been here before. There was a level of high expectations so there were some opening-match jitters we had to work though," said WWU head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "I am pleased with how we dealt with that and grew within the match. I want to congratulate Simon Fraser on a great season as they really pushed us in all three matches this season and gave us all we could handle."
 
Biscup surpassed her previous career-high of 14 kills with her 17-kill effort Thursday vs. SFU. The junior hit .312 and also contributed one block for 17.5 points.
 
Gunterman showed why she was selected as a First Team All-West Region selection with her 15th double-double of the season. She also had three block assists and one service ace for a team-high 19.5 points.
 
"Tess and Gabby were staples for us on the pins and I thought our middles were outstanding today," added Flick-Williams.
 
Sophomore libero Kasey Woodruff and sophomore outside hitter Calley Heilborn led the team with 16 digs each. Sophomore setter Malia Aleaga totaled a 48-assist, 10-dig double-double.
 
The Vikings entered the match as the No. 3 blocking team in the nation averaging 2.73 blocks per set, but were out-dueled at the net 11.0-to-7.0. Junior middle Chloe Roetcisoender led WWU with four blocks to go with 10 kills and junior middle Olivia Fairchild had three blocks and 11 kills.
 
SFU was led by a match-high 23 kills from outside hitter Brooke Dexter, but the Vikings limited the AVCA West Region Freshman of the Year to zero kills on 15 attacks in the deciding fourth set. Dexter added 18 digs for the double-double performance.
  The Vikings (22-4) advances to the West Regional semifinal and will face GNAC rival Central Washington in Friday's 5 pm match inside Coussoulis Arena. No. 6 seed CWU advanced with a 3-1 win over No. 3 Chaminade in the first match Thursday in the regional. WWU and CWU split the season series with each team winning at home. The match can be followed live online via a free webcast and live statistical updates with direct links at wwuvikings.com/Live.
  Kills – Biscup (17), Gunterman (17), Fairchild (11)
Aces – Roetcisoender (1), Gunterman (1), Lologo (1)
Blocks – Roetcisoender (4), Fairchild (3), Gunterman (3)
Assists – Aleaga (48)
Digs – Woodruff (16), Heilborn (16), Gunterman (12)
Points – Gunterman (19.5), Biscup (17.5), Roetcisoender (13.0), Fairchild (12.5)
  The Vikings improved to 23-14 all-time in 15 trips to the NCAA Division II Championships. WWU is making its ninth consecutive trip to the West Regional and is the No. 2 seed in the eight-team tournament. WWU has now recorded at least one win in 10 of 15 NCAA tournament appearances. WWU played for the national title in 2018 and advanced to the regional semifinal in 2019, with the 2020 championships canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Vikings have advanced to the West Regional championship match in four of the last five seasons, winning titles in 2015 (in Anchorage, AK) and 2018 (in Bellingham/Carver Gym). Here is a match-by-match look at how the Vikings have fared in 14 previous appearances in the NCAA Championships:
 
2001 (No. 3 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Defeated Cal State L.A. 3-2
Lost to UC San Diego, 3-0
 
2002 (No. 3 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Lost to Cal State L.A., 3-2
 
2003 (No. 2 seed) – La Jolla, CA
Lost to Cal State San Bernardino, 3-1
 
2006 (No. 7 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Lost to UC San Diego, 3-1
 
2007 (No. 2 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Defeated Chico State, 3-0
Defeated UC San Diego, 3-2
Defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 3-0 (West Regional Final)
Defeated Dowling, 3-0
Defeated Washburn, 3-1
Lost to Concordia-St. Paul, 3-1 (NCAA Championship Match)
 
2010 (No. 3 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Defeated Alaska Anchorage, 3-1
Lost to Seattle Pacific, 3-2
 
2012 (No. 4 seed) – Laie, HI
Defeated Sonoma State, 3-0
Lost to BYU Hawaii, 3-1
 
2013 (No. 5 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Lost to Sonoma State, 3-0
 
2014 (No. 3 seed) – Nampa, ID
Lost to Cal State San Bernardino, 3-1
 
2015 (No. 2 seed) – Anchorage, AK
Defeated Point Loma, 3-0
Defeated UC San Diego, 3-2
Defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 3-2 (West Regional Final)
Defeated Rockhurst, 3-1
Lost to Wheeling Jesuit, 3-0 (National Semifinal)
 
2016 (No. 3 seed) – Anchorage, AK
Defeated California Baptist, 3-0
Defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 3-0
Lost to Alaska Anchorage, 3-1 (West Regional Final)
 
2017 (No. 2 seed) – Riverside, CA
Defeated Alaska Anchorage, 3-1
Defeated Northwest Nazarene, 3-1
Lost to Cal State San Bernardino, 3-0 (West Regional Final)
 
2018 (No. 1 seed) – Bellingham, WA
Defeated Cal State East Bay, 3-0
Defeated Cal Poly Pomona, 3-0
Defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 3-2 (West Regional Final)
Defeated Tarleton State, 3-0
Defeated Lewis, 3-1
Lost to Tampa, 3-2 (NCAA Championship Match)
 
2019 (No. 2 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Defeated Hawai'i Hilo, 3-0
Lost to Azusa Pacific, 3-2
 
2021 (No. 2 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Defeated Simon Fraser, 3-1
  WWU won all three matches over Simon Fraser – earning victories on the road, at home and at a neutral site in the NCAA Championships. WWU leads the all-time series 71-34 with a current 10-match winning streak (won 22 of last 23).
  Here is a match-by-match look at the 2021 season following the first round of the NCAA Championships:
 

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
12/2	Simon Fraser (NCAA)	W	3-1	25-22,23-25,25-20,25-23

  WWU improved to 22-4 overall after finishing the conference season with a 17-1 record in GNAC play. The Vikings are 8-2 in three-set matches, 9-1 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	22-4
Streak	W17
Home	12-0
Away	8-1
Neutral	2-3
GNAC Record	17-1
3-Set Matches	8-2
4-Set Matches	9-1
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	6-1

  WWU extended its winning streak to 17 consecutive matches, tied for the 7th-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 and 6-0 in November. 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	2021 (Sept. 25-current)
	17	2019 (Sept. 5-Oct. 17)
9.	16	2015 (Sept. 5-Oct. 17)

  The Vikings have now won 88 of their last 101 matches dating back to the 2018 season (88-13/.871) when the Vikings were the NCAA II national runner-up. WWU is also 115-17 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 nine seasons (including 2021) and 15 of the last 20 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 (482-116/.806) the Vikings have posted a 233-46 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).