LACEY, Wash. – The No. 11 nationally-ranked Western Washington University volleyball team recorded a season-high 15 service aces in a four-set road victory over Saint Martin's University Thursday evening inside Marcus Pavilion.

 

The Vikings improved to 12-4 overall and remained alone in second place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference with a 7-1 mark in league play. Game scores were 25-17, 25-12, 16-25, 25-19 in favor of the Vikings to extend the winning streak to four consecutive matches.

 

"We played really well the first two sets. Saint Martin's did a great job of applying pressure after that, but we were able to withstand it in the fourth set," said WWU head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "A huge congratulations to Calley (Heilborn) on becoming the sixth player in program history with 1000 kills and 1000 digs. It's a remarkable feat and she has worked her tail off to accomplish this."

 

The 15 team service aces were highlighted by career-high marks from senior defensive specialist Tupu Lologo (6 aces) and freshman Abby May (4 aces). The 15 aces were the most by a WWU squad since the 2007 season and tied for 7th-most during the GNAC era (since 2001).

 

In addition to the big night at the service line, senior outside hitter Calley Heilborn had a monumental performance recording her 1,000th career kill. Heilborn became the 16th player in WWU history to hit that mark and just the sixth member of the 1,000-kill and 1,000-dig club. The Auburn native led the Vikings in Thursday's match with 11.5 points, tallying nine kills, seven digs, two service aces and one block.

 

Senior outside hitter Gabby Gunterman added a 10-kill, 13-dig double-double on a .471 hitting percentage and senior middle Chloe Roetcisoender had another big night with nine kills and three blocks and senior middle Anna Maracich stepped into a starting role with eight kills and three blocks. Senior setter Malia Aleaga ran the offense with 34 assists and added five digs and three blocks.

 

Saint Martin's (12-6, 2-6 GNAC) was led by a match-high 12 kills from Emmy Hansen and 36 assists by Karla Soto.

VB🏐 | Congratulations to Calley Heilborn on recording her 1,000th career kill for @WWUVolleyball, becoming the 16th player in program history to reach that milestone and the sixth member of Viking 1,000-kill, 1,000-dig club! pic.twitter.com/wFAj4A5VlS
— WWU Athletics (@WWUAthletics) October 7, 2022

The Vikings (12-4, 7-1 GNAC) remain on the road traveling south to Monmouth, Oregon to face Western Oregon University on Saturday with first serve scheduled for 7 pm. The complete 2022 WWU Volleyball schedule, with links to statistics, webcasts, live stats and more can be found online at wwuvikings.com/VB.

 

Kills – Gunterman (10), Roetcisoender (9), Heilborn (9)

Aces – Lologo (6), May (4), Aleaga (2), Heilborn (2)

Blocks – Roetcisoender (3), Maracich (3), Aleaga (3)

Assists – Aleaga (34)

Digs – Gunterman (13), Heilborn (7), Aleaga (5)

Points – Heilborn (11.5), Roetcisoender (10.5), Gunterman (10.5), Maracich (9.5)

 

Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2022 season:

 

 

Here is a match-by-match look at the 2022 season following Thursday's 3-1 victory at Saint Martin's:

 

 

WWU now leads the all-time series vs. Saint Martin's 66-5 with a current 45-match winning streak. The Vikings have won 69 of the last 71 sets vs. the Saints dating back to the 2010 season and have won 24 consecutive matches inside Marcus Pavilion. The two teams meet again November 5 in Bellingham in the final regular-season home match of the season (Senior Night).

 

Here is a look at the updated records for the 10 GNAC volleyball programs following play Thursday night: 

 

 

Senior outside hitter Calley Heilborn became the 16th player in WWU Volleyball history to reach the 1,000-kill milestone (now has 1,006) and is just the sixth member of the 1,000-kill, 1,000-dig club (joining teammate Gabby Gunterman). Here is a look at all the members of the 1,000-kill club in program history:

 

 

The Vikings have now won 103 of their last 121 matches dating back to the 2018 season (103-18/.851) when the Vikings were the NCAA II national runner-up. WWU is also 130-22 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.

 

The WWU Volleyball program is in its 51st season as a varsity intercollegiate sport in 2022, rising to an elite level by advancing to the NCAA Division II Championships in each of the last nine seasons and 15 of the last 20 dating back to the 2001 season. The program has recorded 1,003 all-time wins (1003-576-7/.635). The winner of 11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference, the Vikings have won the last four GNAC titles with a perfect 19-1 record in 2017, perfect 20-0 mark in 2018, an 18-2 league record in 2019 and clinched the four-peat with a 17-1 record in 2021. Led by 23rd-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams (497-121/.804) the Vikings have posted a 248-51 record over the last 11 seasons (.829 winning percentage) and played in the NCAA II West Region championship match five out of the last six seasons (2015-21), winning titles in 2015, 2018 and 2021 (also 2007). 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 three of the past six seasons (2015, 2018, 2021).