BURNABY, BC – When the match goes to five sets for the Western Washington University volleyball team, there is no panic.
 
Battling back from a 2-1 deficit, the No. 17 nationally-ranked Vikings opened Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a 3-2 (25-13, 19-25, 20-25, 25-23, 15-9) victory over No. 20 Simon Fraser University Saturday afternoon in West Gym.
 
The Vikings improved to 5-3 overall and opened conference play with a victory over SFU (6-2, 0-1 GNAC) for the eighth consecutive meeting.
 
WWU is now 3-1 in five-set matches this season, and 14-4 when going the distance over the last five seasons (24-7 last seven seasons).
 
"Today was a great team effort. These five-set matches seem to be a trend for us," said WWU head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "I thought each person made an extra play when it counted and it takes a full team effort to beat a quality opponent like Simon Fraser, especially on the road."
 
Junior All-American outside hitter Gabby Gunterman led the Vikings with a 11-kill, 17-dig double-double on a .219 hitting percentage. Gunterman added four service aces for 15.0 total points.
 
Sophomore All-American outside hitter Calley Heilborn added a 13-kill, 10-dig double-double, also adding five blocks and one service ace for a team-high 17.0 points. It marked Heilborn's seventh double-double in eight matches this season.
 
Junior middle Chloe Roetcisoender had 10 kills on a .292 hitting percentage and junior middle Olivia Fairchild added seven kills and five blocks. Sophomore libero Kasey Woodruff tallied 16 digs and sophomore setter Malia Aleaga dished out 46 assists.
 
After a dominating 25-13 opening set win where the Vikings held the Clan to a -.135 hitting percentage, the Clan battled back to hit .425 in the second set evening the match up with a 25-19 win. The Vikings started the third set off strong, opening with a 5-1 run, but SFU immediately answered with an 5-1 run of their own to pull the set even. The Vikings did take the lead again at 14-13 but it would be their last of the set as the Clan went on a decisive 5-0 run to go up 18-14 and closed out the set 25-20.
 
Down 2-1 in the match, the Vikings fought back in a back-and-forth fourth set to even things at 2-2. Neither team was able to take control until a 7-0 run by the Vikings gave them a commanding 22-16 lead. Simon Fraser showed why they are the No. 20 team in the nation though as they refused to roll over, rattling off a 6-0 run of their own to tie the set back up at 22-22. After a Western timeout, the Vikings won three of the next four points, including two big kills by Heilborn to pull even in the match as they took the fourth set 25-23.
 
The fifth and final set started just as tightly as the fourth with the Vikings and Clan tied at 5-5. A 4-0 run by the Vikings allowed them to take control of the set and they ended the match on a kill by Roetcisoender to earn the 15-9 set win.
  Kills - Heilborn (13), Gunterman (11), Roetcisoender (10)
Aces - Gunterman (4), Woodruff (1), Aleaga (1)
Blocks - Fairchild (5), Heilborn (4), Roetcisoender (3)
Assists - Aleaga (46), Woodruff (3), Lologo (2)
Digs - Gunterman (17), Woodruff (16), Heilborn (10)
Points - Heilborn (17.0), Gunterman (15.0), Roetcisoender (11.5), Fairchild (11.5)
  The Vikings (5-3, 1-0 GNAC) remain on the road in GNAC play, traveling to play Central Washington on Thursday in Ellensburg in Nicholson Pavilion (7 pm) and then continues East to play at Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho on Saturday (1 pm MT/12 pm PT). WWU returns home to WECU Court in Carver Gym after three weeks on the road to host the Alaska schools Thursday, September 30 (UAA) and Saturday, October 2 (UAF), with both matches featuring 7 pm first serve.
  The Vikings improved to 3-1 in five-set matches this season, also defeating MSU Denver at the WWU Invitational and Lynn at the Colorado Premier (lost to No. 6 Cal State San Bernardino). Western is now 24-7 in five-set matches over the last seven seasons (since 2015), which includes a 14-4 mark over the last five seasons (since 2017).
  WWU improved to 69-34 in the all-time series vs. Simon Fraser and extended its winning streak to eight consecutive matches (won 20 of last 21). Here is a record breakdown of the all-time series between WWU and SFU:

• All-Time Series: WWU leads 69-34
  • Home: 30-6, Away: 26-17, Neutral: 13-11
  • GNAC Play: 20-1
  • Current Streak: WWU has won 8 straight (20 of last 21) 

Saturday's afternoon match at Simon Fraser marked the first time in 665 days that WWU played in a GNAC-counting match. The Vikings last played a conference-standings-counting match on November 23, 2019 beating Northwest Nazarene in four sets on the road to clinch their third consecutive GNAC title. The Vikings played an abbreviated 11-match spring schedule against GNAC teams, but the games did not count towards the conference record due to the cancelation of the 2020 fall championship season.
  The Vikings opened Great Northwest Athletic Conference play as the three-time defending champions, recording a 57-3 record combined in 2017, 2018 and 2019. There was no GNAC champion crowned during the 2021 spring season due to the pandemic-shortened season. Heading into the 20th season of official GNAC competition (since 2001), WWU has won 10 conference titles, all under the direction of 22nd-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams.
  Here is a look at the 2021 Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings following play on Saturday to complete the opening week of the conference slate:
 

2021 STANDINGS	CONF	PCT	OVERALL	PCT	HOME	AWAY	NEUTRAL	STREAK
Seattle Pacific	2-0	1.000	6-3	.667	5-0	0-1	1-2	Won 6
Alaska Anchorage	2-0	1.000	9-5	.643	3-1	5-1	1-3	Won 2
Western Washington	1-0	1.000	5-3	.625	3-0	1-0	1-3	Won 1
Alaska Fairbanks	2-0	1.000	9-5	.643	3-1	4-2	2-2	Won 5
Central Washington	1-1	.500	5-3	.625	3-0	1-1	1-2	Lost 1
Montana State Billings	1-1	.500	4-6	.400	4-2	0-2	0-2	Won 1
Simon Fraser	0-1	.000	6-2	.750	0-1	1-0	5-1	Lost 1
Saint Martin's	0-2	.000	5-5	.500	0-2	0-1	5-2	Lost 5
Western Oregon	0-2	.000	2-7	.222	0-2	0-1	2-4	Lost 5
Northwest Nazarene	0-2	.000	1-7	.125	0-0	0-7	1-0	Lost 2
Saturday's Results (home team in bold) #17 Western Washington 3, #20 Simon Fraser 2 Alaska Anchorage 3, at Western Oregon 0 Montana State Billings 3, Northwest Nazarene 0 Seattle Pacific 3, Central Washington 1 Alaska Fairbanks 3, Saint Martin's 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 (465-115/.802) the Vikings have posted a 216-45 record over the last 10 seasons (.828 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).