BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The No. 11 nationally-ranked Western Washington University volleyball team returned home to Carver Gym opening Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a three-set sweep over Seattle Pacific University Thursday evening.

 

The Vikings defeated the Falcons by set scores of 25-19, 25-17, 25-23 to improve to 6-3 on the season and a perfect 5-0 on WECU Court. WWU snapped its mini three-match losing streak - all coming against top-10 ranked opponents - and are off to a 1-0 start to conference play as the four-time defending league champions.

 

Senior outside hitter Gabby Gunterman led the Vikings with 12.5 points, recording a 10-kill, 11-dig double-double. Senior middle Olivia Fairchild added 10 kills on a .526 hitting percentage and senior outside hitter Calley Heilborn led all players with 14 digs. 

 

"This was a nice way to open GNAC play with a solid team win. We got great contributions from our middles and were very well-balanced," said WWU 23rd-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "Gabby (Kepley) did some really great things for us that didn't necessarily show up in the box score, but huge contributions to this win. I am proud of the way we brought some of the things we have been working on in training onto the court tonight. Our goal is to keep getting better each time we take the court, and we get another opportunity to play together Saturday night vs. MSUB."

 

As a team WWU combined to hit .267, with senior setter Malia Aleaga distributing the ball to five players with five or more kills for a 36-assist performance.

 

SPU (2-7, 0-1 GNAC) was led by eight kills from Maddie Pruden and 13 digs by libero Abigail Cunningham.

 

WWU (6-3, 1-0 GNAC) is back in action Saturday evening hosting Montana State Billings (6-2, 0-1 GNAC) at 7 pm on WECU Court in Carver Gym.

 

Seattle Pacific led the opening set 15-11, but WWU overcame the four-point deficit going on an 8-1 run to take a 19-16 lead and went on for the 25-19 victory. The opening stanza featured eight tie scores and five lead changes, but WWU recorded the six-point victory and only trailed a few more times during the 3-0 sweep of the Falcons.

 

The Vikings (6-3, 1-0 GNAC) remain at home hosting Montana State Billings (6-2, 0-1 GNAC) on Saturday with first serve scheduled for 7 pm on WECU Court in Carver Gym. The complete 2022 WWU Volleyball schedule, with links to statistics, webcasts, live stats and more can be found online at wwuvikings.com/VB.

 

Kills – Fairchild (10), Gunterman (10), Roetcisoender (8)

Aces – Gunterman (1), Lologo (1)

Blocks – Fairchild (3), Gunterman (3), Roetcisoender (2)

Assists – Aleaga (36)

Digs – Heilborn (14), Gunterman (11), Woodruff (9)

Points – Gunterman (12.5), Fairchild (11.5), Roetcisoender (9.0), Heilborn (7.0)

 

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 GNAC opener:

 

 

WWU is off to a 5-0 start to the season in home matches on WECU Court in Carver Gym, after recording a perfect 12-0 record last season. The Vikings have now won 26 consecutive matches in Carver Gym dating back to the 2019 season (last loss 11/14/19 vs. UAA in 5 sets). Western owns an all-time record of 301-82 (.786) in Carver Gym and since moving back into the renovated facility to start the 2017 season is 57-1. During the 23 seasons with head coach Diane Flick-Williams at the helm of the program the Vikings have combined to go 186-16 (.921) in Carver. Since debuting the new Taraflex court in 2021 the Vikings are a perfect 17-0.

 

WWU improved to 59-28 all-time vs. Seattle Pacific with a 23-3 record in the last 26 matches against the Falcons. The Vikings have won the last 11 home matches vs. SPU including nine straight in Carver Gym.

 

The WWU volleyball program is in its 51st season and is nearing a historic milestone. The Vikings have recorded an all-time record of 997-575-7 for a .634 winning percentage. 

 

WWU improved to 19-2 all-time in the first GNAC match of the season, which includes a current string of five consecutive wins in the conference opener.

 

Here is a look updated records for the 10 GNAC volleyball programs following the opening night of the 2022 conference schedule. 

 

 

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 three wins short of 1,000, with an all-time record of 997-574-7 (.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 (491-120/.804) the Vikings have posted a 242-50 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).