DENVER, Colo. – In a battle of West Region rivals and two national powers, No. 6 Cal State San Bernardino outlasted No. 9 Western Washington in a five-set thriller to cap play at the 2021 Colorado Premier Challenge.
 
Playing its second five-set match of the day, the Vikings (4-3) were unable to overcome the defending national champion Coyotes (won in 2019) in a 23-25, 35-33, 25-17, 21-25, 13-15 instant classic played inside the Auraria Event Center on the MSU Denver campus.
 
WWU led the best-of-five match 2-1 following a 35-33 second set and 25-17 third set victory, but CSUSB battled back to take the fourth set 25-21 and won the deciding fifth frame 15-13. The Vikings trailed 10-7 in the fifth set, but went on a 5-2 run to tie it 12-12 before the Coyotes prevailed. Earlier Saturday WWU defeated Lynn 3-2.
 
"We showed a lot of grit coming back from the way we played yesterday…and a lot of potential to what we can be," said WWU head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "This is why we schedule so tough. It is now time to get back to work with the tough GNAC schedule up next."
 
The Vikings were led by a 19-kill, 10-block double-double by junior middle blocker Olivia Fairchild, who hit at a .562 percentage to finish with a career-high 24.5 points.
 
Junior outside hitter Gabby Gunterman added a 17-kill, 13-dig double-double (and neared a triple-double with a career-high 8 blocks) and sophomore outside hitter Calley Heilborn tallied a career-high 29 blocks to go with 15 kills for her sixth double-double in seven matches this season.
 
Sophomore setter Malia Aleaga notched a career-high 66 assists while guiding the Vikings offense to a balanced team effort that featured five players with double-figures in kills.
 
Junior middle Chloe Roetcisoender had a career-high 15 kills on a on a .556 hitting percentage, and also contributed four blocks for 17.0 total points. Twin sister Tess Biscup finished with 12 kills and four block assists.
 
The Vikings dropped its first five-set match of the season (2-1) despite hitting .317 as a team and out-blocking CSUSB 15-11. WWU was hurt by committing 13 service errors.
 
The Coyotes (5-3) were led by an 18-kill, 11-dig double-double by Alexis Cardoza, 17 kills from Melissa Garciglia and 14 kills and six blocks by Jalyn Hayes.
  The Vikings (4-3) wrapped up the seven-match non-conference schedule and now head into the 18-match Great Northwest Athletic Conference slate. WWU opens conference play with a road trip across the border to face No. 24 Simon Fraser on Saturday, September 18 with a 2 pm match in West Gym. The three-time defending GNAC champions will play their first three league games on the road before returning to WECU Court in Carver Gym September 30 to host Alaska Anchorage.
  Malia Aleaga recorded a career-high 66 assists, tied for 8^th-most in a match in the WWU record book…the 79 kills are listed as No. 6 in the single-match WWU record book and most since recording 80 on Nov. 3, 2016 at Northwest Nazarene…WWU's .317 team hitting percentage is a season-best mark.
  WWU finished the two-day tournament going 1-3, playing matches against No. 17 Wayne State College (L, 3-0), No. Lewis (L, 3-0) and No. 6 Cal State San Bernardino (L, 3-2)…defeated Lynn (RV in national rankings) in five sets…Olivia Fairchild averaged 2.88 kills per set (46 kills) with a .362 hitting percentage in the four tournament games…also averaged 1.19 blocks per set…Calley Heilborn led the Vikings averaging 4.75 digs per set…Malia Aleaga averaged 11.12 assists per set (178 assists) with five offensive player averaging at least 1.75 kills per set.
  Kills - Fairchild (19), Gunterman (17), Roetcisoender (15)
Aces - Gunterman (1), Aleaga (1), Lologo (1)
Blocks - Fairchild (10), Gunterman (8), Roetcisoender (4)
Assists - Aleaga (66), Woodruff (3)
Digs - Heilborn (29), Woodruff (16), Gunterman (13)
Points - Fairchild (24.5), Gunterman (22.5), Roetcisoender (17.0), Heilborn (15.0)
  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 (464-115/.801) the Vikings have posted a 215-45 record over the last 10 seasons (.827 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).