ENVER, Colo. – A day after playing a pair of grueling five-set matches, the No. 3 nationally-ranked Western Washington University volleyball team dropped a four-set match against No. 10 Northwest Missouri State to open play Saturday in the silver bracket at the Colorado Premier Challenge.

The Vikings (5-2) got off to a solid start winning the opening set against the Bearcats 25-22, but dropped the next three sets 16-25, 16-25, 21-25 to suffer just the second loss of the young season. WWU has played four of seven matches against nationally-ranked opponents this season. The match vs. Northwest Missouri State as played on the Regis University campus at Regis Field House in Denver.

WWU will turn right around and face No. 5 West Florida in the 3rd-place match of the silver bracket of the prestigious Colorado Premier Challenge. The 12-team field features 10 nationally ranked teams. 

Western was led by a career-high 13 kills from sophomore pin hitter Gabby Kepley and 12 kills and five blocks by senior middle Chloe Roetcisoender. Senior setter Malia Aleaga added a 42-assist, 13-dig double-double for the Vikings. Redshirt freshman Abby May tallied a match-high three service aces.

Northwest Missouri State was paced by 15 kills from Avery Kemp and 13 by Abby Brunssen.

Kills – Kepley (13), Roetcisoender (12), Gunterman (11)

Aces – May (3), Gunterman (2)

Blocks – Roetcisoender (5), Aleaga (4), Fairchild (2)

Assists – Aleaga (42)

Digs – Woodruff (13), Aleaga (13), Heilborn (11)

Points – Roetcisoender (15.0), Kepley (14.0), Gunterman (13.0)

The Vikings (5-2) will play No. 5 nationally-ranked University of West Florida in the Colorado Premier Challenge Silver Bracket 3rd-place match with first serve scheduled for 2:30 pm MT/1:30 pm PT. The match vs. UWF will conclude the eight-match non-conference schedule for the Vikings. The complete 2022 WWU Volleyball schedule, with links to statistics, webcasts, live stats and more can be found online at wwuvikings.com/VB.

The WWU volleyball program is in its 51st season and is nearing a historic milestone. The Vikings have recorded an all-time record of 996-574-7 for a .634 winning percentage. 

Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2022 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 is now just four wins short of 1,000, with an all-time record of 996-574-7 (.634). 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 (490-119/.805) the Vikings have posted a 241-49 record over the last 11 seasons (.831 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).