BURNABY, BC – The No. 13 nationally-ranked Western Washington University women's basketball team opened Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a 69-60 road victory over Simon Fraser University Saturday night in West Gym.

WWU won its fifth consecutive game to improve to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in GNAC play.

Junior forward Brooke Walling led the Vikings with 17 points and 8 rebounds, going 7-for-14 from the floor. In six games this season Walling leads the team averaging 14.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.

Senior guard Avery Dykstra added 12 points and senior forward Katrina Gimmaka tallied 10 points and six rebounds. 

After the first quarter was tied 11-11, the Vikings out-scored the Red Leafs 19-12 in the second quarter go take a 30-23 halftime lead. 

SFU used a 13-5 run in the fourth quarter – including a 9-0 spurt – to pull even with the Vikings at 60-60 with 2:55 remaining in the game. WWU did not allow SFU to score the remainder of the game, going on a 9-0 run to end the game for the 69-60 victory. Avery Dykstra went 4-for-4 from the free throw line down the stretch and Riley Dykstra hit a key three-pointer with under a minute remaining to clinch the victory.

Simon Fraser (2-3, 0-1 GNAC) was led by a game-high 20 points by Jessica Wisotzki and 17 points by sister Sophia Wisotzki. Gemma Cutler neared a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds. 

WWU (5-1) take next week off for finals and return to action with three games at the Hoops in Hawai'i Classic December 16-19 in Honolulu. The Vikings open their Hawai'i road trip against Hawai'i Pacific University on Friday, December 16. The game will feature a live webcast and statistical updated with direct links available at wwuvikings.com/WBB.

Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and Simon Fraser:

Here is a look at the Vikings record breakdown for the 2022-23 season:

Here is a game-by-game look at the 2022-23 season following Saturday's 69-60 win at Simon Fraser: