BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Outside hitter Devyn Oestreich recorded a team-high 15-kill, 12-dig double-double as the Western Washington University volleyball team defeated Alaska Anchorage, 18-25, 25-23, 25-20, 27-25, in its home opener on Thursday in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action on WECU Court at Carver Gym.
It was the second consecutive win for the Vikings, 2-9 overall and 2-1 GNAC, who began the season with 10 road matches.
Anchorage, which fell to 9-8 overall and 1-1 GNAC, got a match-high 20 kills from Nicole Blue.
Trailing 22-18 in the decisive game four, Western outscored the Seawolves 7-1, two on kills by Gabby Kepley, before being unable to convert a match point. But an UAA attack error on the second match point gave the Vikings the victory.
Karli Tri had 10 kills for Western and Kepley and Delaney Speer each had nine. Oestreich added 12 digs for the double-double and setter Adele Holland tallied a 37-assist, 10-dig double-double.
The Vikings have now won 34 of their last 36 home matches and are 65-3 since moving back into the renovated Carver facility to start the 2017 season.
WWU (2-9, 2-1 GNAC) remains at home returning to action Saturday hosting Alaska Fairbanks (9/23) with first serve scheduled for 7 pm on WECU Court in Carver Gym. The complete 2023 WWU Volleyball schedule, with links to statistics, webcasts, live stats and more can be found online at wwuvikings.com/VB.
Kills – Oestreich (15), Tri (10), Kepley (9), Speer (9)
Aces – Holland (1), Oestreich (1), May (1)
Blocks – Vossenkuhl (6), Kepley (4), Holland (4)
Assists – Holland (37), Tri (3), Oestreich (2)
Digs – Oestreich (12), Holland (10), Speer (9)
Points – Oestreich (17.5), Tri (12.0), Kepley (11.0), Vossenkuhl (9.5)
Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and UAA:
|
COMPARISON
|
WWU
|
UAA
|
|
Attack Pct.
|
.132
|
.117
|
|
Kills
|
52
|
47
|
|
Assists
|
46
|
43
|
|
Service Aces
|
3
|
8
|
|
Solo Blocks
|
2
|
1
|
|
Block Assists
|
18
|
18
|
|
Total Blocks
|
11.0
|
10.0
|
|
Lead Changes: 11 Times Tied: 24
|
Improved to 39-21 all-time vs. Alaska Anchorage with a 16-8 record in matches played in Bellingham. Vikings have won eight of the last 12 meetings against the Seawolves.
Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2023 season:
|
2023 RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall Record
|
2-9
|
|
Streak
|
W2
|
|
Home
|
1-0
|
|
Away
|
1-3
|
|
Neutral
|
0-6
|
|
GNAC Record
|
2-1
|
|
Non-Conference
|
0-8
|
|
3-Set Matches
|
0-5
|
|
4-Set Matches
|
1-4
|
|
5-Set Matches
|
1-0
|
|
Ranked Opponents
|
0-7
|
|
Winning First Set
|
0-2
|
|
Dropping First Set
|
2-7
|
|
Record by Jersey
|
|
White
|
2-2
|
|
Light Blue
|
0-2
|
|
Dark Gray
|
0-2
|
|
Navy Blue
|
0-3
|
HOW TO SEE THE VIKINGS IN PERSON
After opening the 2023 season with 10 consecutive matches on the road, the Vikings make its debut on WECU Court in Carver Gym next week hosting defending GNAC champion Alaska Anchorage on Thursday (9/21) with first serve at 7 pm. Season tickets for the Vikings nine home matches are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling the WWU Box Office at (360) 650-6103. Single-game tickets are also available at wwuvikings.com/Tickets. New for the 2023-24 season for all intercollegiate sports will be FREE STUDENT TICKETS at all events sponsored by WECU and The Foundation for WWU & Alumni.
Here is a look at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings following Thursday's matches:
|
GNAC VOLLEYBALL
|
CONF
|
PCT
|
OVERALL
|
PCT
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
NEUTRAL
|
STREAK
|
|
1.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
3-0
|
1.000
|
9-2
|
.818
|
1-0
|
3-1
|
5-1
|
W8
|
|
2.
|
Central Washington
|
2-1
|
.667
|
8-3
|
.727
|
1-1
|
2-1
|
5-1
|
W1
|
|
3.
|
Western Washington
|
2-1
|
.667
|
2-9
|
.182
|
1-0
|
1-3
|
0-6
|
W2
|
|
|
Simon Fraser
|
2-1
|
.667
|
7-4
|
.636
|
1-0
|
3-3
|
3-1
|
W2
|
|
5.
|
Western Oregon
|
1-1
|
.500
|
7-3
|
.700
|
1-1
|
1-1
|
5-1
|
W1
|
|
|
Saint Martin's
|
1-1
|
.500
|
7-4
|
.636
|
1-1
|
2-0
|
4-3
|
W1
|
|
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
1-1
|
.500
|
9-8
|
.529
|
3-1
|
3-1
|
3-6
|
L1
|
|
8.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
1-2
|
.333
|
5-6
|
.455
|
1-1
|
1-3
|
3-2
|
L2
|
|
9.
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
0-2
|
.000
|
7-9
|
.438
|
3-5
|
1-1
|
3-3
|
L1
|
|
|
Montana State Billings
|
0-3
|
.000
|
2-10
|
.167
|
2-4
|
0-3
|
0-3
|
L9
|
|
This Week's GNAC Schedule
|
|
Tuesday, September 19:
Rocky Mountain 3, at Montana State Billings 0
Saint Martin's 3, at Pacific (OR) 0
Thursday, September 21:
at Western Washington 3, Alaska Anchorage 1
Central Washington 3, at Montana State Billings 0
at Seattle Pacific 3, Northwest Nazarene 0
at Simon Fraser 3, Alaska Fairbanks 0
Saturday, September 23:
Northwest Nazarene at Montana State Billings, 1 pm MT
Central Washington at Seattle Pacific, 2 pm
Alaska Anchorage at Simon Fraser, 7 pm
Alaska Fairbanks at Western Washington, 7 pm
Saint Martin's at Western Oregon, 7 pm
|
Here is a match-by-match look at the 2023 season with current results and the schedule:
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
|
Score
|
Score-by-set
|
|
Yotes Classic Showcase (San Bernardino, CA)
|
|
8/31
|
Regis (#18)
|
L
|
3-1
|
22-25,25-20,15-25,20-25
|
|
8/31
|
Cal State San Bernardino (#19)
|
L
|
3-0
|
22-25,11-25,17-25
|
|
9/1
|
Cal State LA (#9)
|
L
|
3-0
|
17-25,15-25,18-25
|
|
9/2
|
MSU Denver (#3)
|
L
|
3-0
|
19-25,11-25,15-25
|
|
Colorado Premier Challenge (Denver, CO)
|
|
9/8
|
Ferris State (RV)
|
L
|
3-0
|
13-25,22-25,11-25
|
|
9/8
|
Concordia St. Paul (#2)
|
L
|
3-1
|
25-16,15-25,20-25,23-25
|
|
9/9
|
MSU Denver (#6)
|
L
|
3-0
|
20-25,14-25,13-25
|
|
9/9
|
Texas-Tyler (RV)
|
L
|
3-1
|
26-24,17-25,23-25,26-28
|
|
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
|
|
9/14
|
@Central Washington (#13) (GNAC)
|
L
|
3-1
|
15-25,15-25,25-22,23-25
|
|
9/16
|
@Northwest Nazarene (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-2
|
18-25,19-25,25-21,25-16,15-12
|
|
9/21
|
Alaska Anchorage (RV) (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-1
|
18-25,25-23,25-20,27-25
|
|
9/23
|
Alaska Fairbanks (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm – Carver Gym
|
|
9/30
|
@Simon Fraser (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm – Burnaby, BC
|
|
10/5
|
@Seattle Pacific (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm – Seattle, WA
|
|
10/7
|
@MSU Billings (GNAC)
|
|
|
1:00 pm MT – Billings, MT
|
|
10/12
|
Saint Martin's (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm – Carver Gym
|
|
10/14
|
Western Oregon (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm – Carver Gym
|
|
10/19
|
@Alaska Fairbanks (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm AKT – Fairbanks, AK
|
|
10/21
|
@Alaska Anchorage (GNAC)
|
|
|
2:00 pm AKT – Anchorage, AK
|
|
10/28
|
Simon Fraser (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm – Carver Gym
|
|
11/2
|
MSU Billings (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm – Carver Gym
|
|
11/4
|
Seattle Pacific (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm – Carver Gym
|
|
11/9
|
@Western Oregon (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm – Monmouth, OR
|
|
11/11
|
@Saint Martin's (GNAC)
|
|
|
1:00 pm – Lacey, WA
|
|
11/16
|
Northwest Nazarene (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm – Carver Gym
|
|
11/18
|
Central Washington (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm – Carver Gym
|
The Vikings have won 34 of their last 36 matches on WECU Court in Carver Gym and are 65-3 since moving back into the renovated facility to start the 2017 season. Went 12-2 in home matches last season and was a perfect 12-0 in 2021. During the 24 seasons with head coach Diane Flick-Williams at the helm of the program the Vikings have combined to go 194-18 (.915) in Carver. Since debuting the new Taraflex court in 2021 the Vikings are 25-2. WWU has an all-time record of 309-84 in Carver Gym for a .786 winning percentage.
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 52nd season as a varsity intercollegiate sport in 2023, rising to an elite level by advancing to the NCAA Division II Championships in each of the last 10 seasons and 16 of the last 21 dating back to the 2001 season. The program has recorded 1,014 all-time wins (1014-587-7). 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 24th-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams (508-132) the Vikings have posted a 259-62 record over the last 12 seasons and played in the NCAA II West Region championship match five out of the last seven 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).
