BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The No. 14 nationally-ranked Western Washington University volleyball team opened the 2021 season with a 3-1 victory over Sonoma State University to close out the first day of the WWU Volleyball Invitational in Carver Gym.
 
Playing its first match of a season at home since 1978, the Vikings used 14.0 team blocks in the 26-24, 23-25, 25-18, 25-18 victory to improve to 1-0 on the season. WWU is hosting a home regular-season tournament for the first time since 2007.
 
WWU debuted on its new WECU Court and played in front of fans for the first time since November 2019 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Sophomore All-American outside hitter Calley Heilborn led the Vikings with a 13-kill, 12-dig double-double and junior pin hitter Tess Biscup had nine kills on a .400 hitting percentage and tallied five blocks. Junior middles Chloe Roetcisoender and Olivia Fairchild each had seven blocks for the Vikings.
 
Sophomore libero Kasey Woodruff led WWU with 14 digs.
 
Kiana Richardson led Sonoma State with a match-high 17 kills and Jennifer Trephan led the Seawolves with 21 digs.
 
The match featured 16 tie scores, including nine in the first match in which WWU battled from behind, and 10 total lead changes. WWU out-blocked SSU 14.0-to-6.0 and held a .161-to-.068 advantage in hitting percentage.
 
No. 11 MSU Denver went 2-0 in the first two matches of the WWU Invitational, defeating Sonoma State (0-2) in straight sets and outlasted Central Washington (0-1) in a five-set thriller.
  Kills - Heilborn (13), Biscup (9), Fairchild (6)
Aces - Gunterman (3), Aleaga (2), Heilborn (1)
Blocks - Roetcisoender (7), Fairchild (7), Biscup (5)
Assists - Aleaga (30)
Digs - Woodruff (14), Heilborn (12), Gunterman (8)
  The Vikings (1-0) return to play Saturday night taking on No. 11 nationally-ranked MSU Denver (2-0) at 7:30 pm to cap the second day of the WWU Invitational. Western will also play Chaminade Sunday at 4 pm to conclude the three-day, nine-match tournament in Carver Gym.
  Here is a complete rundown of the nine-match WWU Volleyball Invitational, that features three matches Friday, four Saturday and concludes with two matches Sunday. Updated results, box scores, webcast links and tournament results can be viewed daily at wwuvikings.com/VBInvite.
 

Date	Time	Teams (home team listed first)
9/3 (Fri.)	12:30 pm	MSU Denver 3, Sonoma State 1
9/3 (Fri.)	5:00 pm	MSU Denver 3, Central Washington 2
9/3 (Fri.)	7:30 pm	Western Washington 3, Sonoma State 1
9/4 (Sat.)	10:00 am	MSU Denver vs. Chaminade
9/4 (Sat.)	12:30 pm	Central Washington vs. Sonoma State
9/4 (Sat.)	5:00 pm	Chaminade vs. Sonoma State
9/4 (Sat.)	7:30 pm	Western Washington vs. MSU Denver
9/5 (Sun.)	11:00 am	Central Washington vs. Chaminade
9/5 (Sun.)	4:00 pm	Western Washington vs. Chaminade

FAN INFORMATION
All matches during the WWU Invitational will be open to fans, with tickets available at the Carver Gym Box Office the day of each match. All fans will be required to wear a face covering/mask to comply with State of Washington safety mandates. Parking will be free in the C and 17G lots on the WWU campus (follow parking signs for volleyball matches).
  WWU is hosting a regular-season tournament for the first time since 2007, when Carver Gym welcomed a seven-team, 12-match tourney featuring Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State San Bernardino, Saint Martin's, Seattle U, Western Oregon and the Vikings. WWU also hosted a Invitational in 2002 during current head coach Diane Flick-Williams third season (now in her 22nd season). WWU commonly takes to the road to open the season in tournaments across the country, with recent stops in Pensacola, Florida, Lakeland, Florida, St. Paul, Minnesota, Tampa, Florida and Ellensburg.
  The Vikings played its first match of a season at home for the first time since hosting Seattle U. to begin the 1978 season.
  The Vikings won their 10^th consecutive match inside Carver Gym and are 41-1 since the remodeled gym debuted in 2017. Overall WWU is 285-82 in Carver Gym and are 170-16 all-time in the on-campus facility in the 22 seasons under head coach Diane Flick-Williams.
  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.
  Entering its 50^th 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 (461-112/.805) the Vikings have posted a 212-42 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).