SEATTLE, Wash. – The No. 8 nationally-ranked Western Washington University volleyball team wrapped up the regular season with a convincing three-set sweep over Seattle Pacific University Saturday afternoon at Brougham Pavilion.
The Vikings put the finishing touches on a 21-6 regular-season record with the 25-18, 25-18, 25-16 sweep over the Falcons, sealing a second-place finish in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference with a 16-2 league record. WWU had its amazing string of four consecutive league titles snapped (2017-2018-2019-2021) and are in good position to advance to its 10th consecutive and 16th overall trip to the NCAA Division II Championships. The Selection Show for the NCAA II Volleyball Field of 64 will air Sunday at 7:30 pm PT on NCAA.com.
Recording their sixth consecutive victory, the Vikings were led by a pair of double-doubles with senior middle Chloe Roetcisoender recording 13 kills and 10 blocks (18.5 points) and senior outside hitter Gabby Gunterman tallying 13 kills and 13 digs. Senior outside hitter Calley Heilborn and sophomore opposite Gabby Kepley each had eight kills. Senior libero Kasey Woodruff led all players with 16 digs and senior setter Malia Aleaga paced the Vikings offense to a .319 hitting percentage with 39 assists, seven digs and four blocks.
"That was as clean as it gets. It may sound cliche, but this was an awesome effort by 23 people all dialed in and competing as one," said WWU head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "Chloe (Roetcisoender) was outstanding in all facets of the game and earned one of the toughest double-doubles a player can get. Malia (Aleaga) had another great match leading our offense, adding in great touches on the block and digging tough balls. And the Gabby's (Gunterman and Kepley) were outstanding, Calley (Heilborn) was again steady and Kasey (Woodruff) anchored the defense. A true team effort to finish off a great regular-season schedule that featured a lot of challenges, and now we will wait to see what the future holds for our team."
SPU (13-13, 11-7) was swept in a pair of 3-0 matches against WWU this season, but remains a postseason hopeful finishing in third place in the GNAC. Hannah Hair led the Falcons with 9.0 point contributing seven kills and four blocks. Maddie Pruden also had seven kills as the Falcons were limited to a .143 hitting percentage by the Vikings and were out-blocked 15-7.
The Vikings (21-5, 16-2 GNAC) completed the regular season and will now wait for Sunday's NCAA Selection Show that airs at 7:30 pm PT on NCAA.com. WWU is in good position to make a 10th consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II Championships and possibly host the eight-team West Regional in Carver Gym next week. The complete 2022 WWU Volleyball schedule, with links to browse statistics and follow games via webcasts and live stats can be found online at wwuvikings.com/VB.
Kills – Roetcisoender (13), Gunterman (13), Heilborn (8)
Aces – May (2), Woodruff (1), Aleaga (1)
Blocks – Roetcisoender (10), Kepley (5), Maracich (4)
Assists – Aleaga (39), Woodruff (2), Lologo (2)
Digs – Woodruff (16), Heilborn (14), Gunterman (13)
Points – Roetcisoender (18.5), Gunterman (13.5), Kepley (11.0), Heilborn (10.0)
SERIES HISTORY VS. SEATTLE PACIFIC
WWU swept the season series vs. Seattle Pacific with a pair of 3-0 victories. The Vikings are 60-28 all-time vs. the Falcons with a 24-3 record in the last 27 meetings. Western has now won their last 10 GNAC matches vs. SPU in Royal Brougham Pavilion.
Here is a look at where WWU stands in the GNAC, regional and national rankings:
- GNAC: 2nd place at 16-2 in conference play.
- West Region: Ranked No. 2 in the third edition of the NCAA II West Regional rankings.
- National: Listed No. 8 in the current AVCA NCAA Division II Coaches Poll.
The Vikings have now won 112 of their last 131 matches dating back to the 2018 season (112-19/.855) when the Vikings were the NCAA II national runner-up. WWU is also 140-23 dating back to the start of the 2017 season.
Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2022 season:
|
2022 RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall Record
|
21-5
|
|
Streak
|
W6
|
|
Home
|
12-1
|
|
Away
|
8-1
|
|
Neutral
|
1-3
|
|
GNAC Record
|
16-2
|
|
3-Set Matches
|
11-1
|
|
4-Set Matches
|
6-1
|
|
5-Set Matches
|
3-2
|
|
Ranked Opponents
|
2-5
|
|
Winning First Set
|
18-1
|
|
Dropping First Set
|
3-4
|
|
Record by Jersey
|
|
White
|
9-1
|
|
Light Blue
|
6-1
|
|
Dark Gray
|
6-0
|
|
Navy Blue
|
0-3
|
Here is a look at the updated records for the 10 GNAC volleyball programs following the conclusion of Saturday's matches to wrap up the 2022 regular season. WWU finished in second place at 16-2 in conference play:
|
GNAC VOLLEYBALL
|
CONF
|
PCT
|
OVERALL
|
PCT
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
NEUTRAL
|
STREAK
|
|
1.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
17-1
|
.944
|
27-2
|
.931
|
13-0
|
10-1
|
4-1
|
Won 6
|
|
2.
|
Western Washington
|
16-2
|
.889
|
21-5
|
.808
|
12-1
|
8-1
|
1-3
|
Won 6
|
|
3.
|
Central Washington
|
11-7
|
.611
|
16-10
|
.615
|
6-3
|
6-5
|
4-2
|
Won 1
|
|
4.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
11-7
|
.611
|
13-13
|
.500
|
6-3
|
5-7
|
2-3
|
Lost 1
|
|
5.
|
Simon Fraser
|
10-8
|
.556
|
13-14
|
.481
|
7-2
|
3-7
|
3-5
|
Won 1
|
|
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
9-9
|
.500
|
16-10
|
.615
|
8-5
|
5-5
|
3-0
|
Lost 5
|
|
7.
|
Alaska
|
8-10
|
.444
|
18-12
|
.600
|
9-4
|
5-7
|
4-1
|
Won 3
|
|
8.
|
Western Oregon
|
5-13
|
.278
|
9-17
|
.246
|
3-6
|
2-7
|
4-4
|
Lost 5
|
|
9.
|
Saint Martin's
|
3-15
|
.167
|
13-15
|
.464
|
7-7
|
2-8
|
4-0
|
Lost 4
|
|
10.
|
Montana State Billings
|
0-18
|
.000
|
7-20
|
.269
|
5-9
|
1-10
|
1-1
|
Lost 13
|
|
This Week's GNAC Schedule
|
|
Thursday, November 10:
#5 Alaska Anchorage 3, at Western Oregon 0
Alaska Fairbanks 3, at Saint Martin's 2
at Seattle Pacific 3, Simon Fraser 1
#8 Western Washington 3, at Montana State Billings 0
Saturday, November 12:
Simon Fraser 3, at Montana State Billings 1
#8 Western Washington 3, Seattle Pacific 0
Alaska Fairbanks 3, at Western Oregon 2
#5 Alaska Anchorage 3, at Saint Martin's 0
at Central Washington 3, Northwest Nazarene 1
|
Here is a match-by-match look at the 2022 season following Saturday's 3-0 victory at Seattle Pacific to wrap up the 2022 regular season:
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
|
Score
|
Score-by-set
|
|
8/25
|
Ferris State (#20)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-8,25-19,29-27
|
|
8/25
|
Sonoma State
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-20,25-21,25-20
|
|
8/26
|
Regis (RV)
|
W
|
3-1
|
25-16,18-25,27-25,25-21
|
|
8/27
|
Cal State LA (RV)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-20,25-21,26-24
|
|
9/2
|
Lewis (#18)
|
W
|
3-2
|
25-22,22-25,22-25,25-21,15-9
|
|
9/2
|
Concordia-St. Paul (#6)
|
L
|
2-3
|
19-25,25-21,12-25,25-19,12-15
|
|
9/3
|
NW Missouri State (#10)
|
L
|
1-2
|
25-22,16-25,16-25,21-25
|
|
9/3
|
West Florida (#5)
|
L
|
2-3
|
23-25,20-25,25-21,25-22,19-21
|
|
9/8
|
Seattle Pacific (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-19,25-17,25-23
|
|
9/10
|
Montana St. Billings (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-15,25-20,25-17
|
|
9/17
|
Simon Fraser (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-16,25-21,25-20
|
|
9/22
|
at Alaska Anchorage (#14, GNAC)
|
L
|
0-3
|
22-25,19-25,22-25
|
|
9/24
|
at Alaska Fairbanks (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-1
|
25-23,25-15,20-25,25-17
|
|
9/29
|
Central Washington (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-1
|
21-25,25-23,25-19,25-18
|
|
10/1
|
Northwest Nazarene (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-22,25-19,25-18
|
|
10/6
|
at Saint Martin's (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-1
|
25-17,25-12,16-25,25-19
|
|
10/8
|
at Western Oregon (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-18,25-22,25-21
|
|
10/15
|
at Simon Fraser (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-2
|
23-25,25-22,25-18,23-25,15-8
|
|
10/20
|
Alaska Fairbanks (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-0
|
26-24,25-16,25-15
|
|
10/22
|
Alaska Anchorage (#9, GNAC)
|
L
|
3-1
|
12-25,16-25,25-21,23-25
|
|
10/27
|
at Northwest Nazarene (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-1
|
25-17,25-17,23-25,25-16
|
|
10/29
|
at Central Washington (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-2
|
26-24,25-23,19-25,20-25,16-14
|
|
11/3
|
Western Oregon (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-1
|
22-25,25-15,25-21,25-19
|
|
11/5
|
Saint Martin's (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-20,25-12,25-19
|
|
11/10
|
at Montana St. Billings (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-19,25-18,25-11
|
|
11/12
|
at Seattle Pacific (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-18,25-18,25-16
|
|
NCAA II West Regional – November 17-19
|
The Vikings recorded their 20th victory of the season, marking the 10th consecutive 20-win season for the program. WWU now has 32 20-win seasons in 50 full seasons in program history (not counting limited 2020-21 spring season). Head coach Diane Flick-Williams has guided the program to at least 20 wins in 17 of 22 full seasons at the helm of the program.
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 1,012 all-time wins (1012-577-7/.636). The winner of 11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference, the Vikings have four of the last five 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 (506-122/.806) the Vikings have posted a 257-52 record over the last 11 seasons (.832 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).
