BURNABY, B.C. – The Western Washington University volleyball team dropped its Great Northwest Athletic Conference match at Simon Fraser University Saturday night in four sets.
WWU and SFU battled in West Gym with the match featuring 24 tie scores and nine lead changes. The first-place Red Leafs prevailed in four sets by game scores of 25-19, 21-25, 25-22, 25-23.
The Vikings put up their best blocking performance of the season holding a 13.0-to-8.0 advantage over SFU, with sophomore Emily Vossenkuhl registering seven blocks, and Dani Johnson and Devyn Oestreich six blocks each.
Oestreich tallied an 11-kill, 11-dig double and Johnson had her best career match with 12 kills on a .478 hitting percentage and six blocks for 15.0 points. Junior opposite Janelle Grant added 11 kills on a .364 hitting percentage and also recorded four blocks. Junior defensive specialist Anna VanderYacht led all players with three service aces.
"I like the way we battled tonight against a very good Simon Fraser team," said WWU head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "We brought good energy, made some great plays at the net, but just made some untimely errors. Lots of great things to take away from this one. Dani (Johnson) was incredible tonight and was a force at the net."
The Vikings opened the second half of GNAC play with the match, falling to 7-9 overall and 6-4 in conference play to sit in 4th place.
Simon Fraser remained in first place in the GNAC standings improving to 13-4 overall and 9-1 in conference play. The Red Leafs avenged their early-season 3-0 loss to the Vikings in Bellingham on September 27. Brooke Dexter led SFU with 20.5 points on 17 kills, two aces and three block assists.
The Vikings (7-9, 6-4 GNAC) returns home to Carver Gym hosting Western Oregon on Halloween and Saint Martin's on November 2 on WECU Court. Both matches feature a 7 pm first serve on campus with free parking available in the 9G (season ticket holders) and 19G lots. The game will stream live on YouTube with a direct link available at WWUVikings.com/Live.
Kills – Johnson (12), Oestreich (11), Grant (11)
Aces – VanderYacht (3), Oestreich (1), Vossenkuhl (1)
Blocks – Vossenkuhl (7), Oestreich (6), Johnson (6)
Assists – Holland (22), Hansen (22), Vossenkuhl (5)
Digs – Claeys (16), Hansen (13), Speer (12)
Points – Johnston (15.0), Oestreich (15.0), Grant (13.0), Vossenkuhl (11.0)
Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and Simon Fraser:
|
COMPARISON
|
WWU
|
SFU
|
|
Attack Pct.
|
.220 (55-20-159)
|
.242 (59-21-157)
|
|
Kills
|
55
|
59
|
|
Assists
|
52
|
53
|
|
Service Aces
|
6
|
5
|
|
Solo Blocks
|
1
|
1
|
|
Block Assists
|
24
|
14
|
|
Total Blocks
|
13.0
|
8.0
|
|
Digs
|
67
|
76
|
|
Tie Scores: 24 Lead Changes: 9
|
Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2024 season:
|
2024 RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall Record
|
7-9
|
|
Streak
|
L2
|
|
Home
|
4-4
|
|
Away
|
3-2
|
|
Neutral
|
0-3
|
|
GNAC Record
|
6-4
|
|
Non-Conference
|
1-5
|
|
3-Set Matches
|
6-6
|
|
4-Set Matches
|
0-1
|
|
5-Set Matches
|
1-2
|
|
Ranked Opponents
|
0-4
|
|
Winning First Set
|
6-2
|
|
Dropping First Set
|
1-7
|
|
Record by Jersey
|
|
White
|
3-2
|
|
Light Blue
|
0-4
|
|
Dark Gray
|
0-0
|
|
Navy Blue
|
4-3
|
2024 GNAC STANDINGS & WEEKLY SCHEDULE
Here is a look at the updated GNAC Volleyball standings and weekly following play on Saturday to complete the sixth week of the conference slate. Updated conference standings, results, schedule and statistics can be found online at GNACSports.com.
|
|
School
|
GNAC
|
Pct.
|
Overall
|
Pct.
|
Home
|
Away
|
Neutral
|
Streak
|
L10
|
|
1.
|
Simon Fraser
|
9-1
|
.900
|
13-4
|
.765
|
5-0
|
5-1
|
3-3
|
W7
|
9-1
|
|
2.
|
Central Washington
|
9-2
|
.818
|
11-6
|
.647
|
4-3
|
6-1
|
1-2
|
W1
|
8-2
|
|
3.
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
7-4
|
.636
|
15-6
|
.714
|
5-3
|
8-2
|
2-1
|
W3
|
6-4
|
|
4.
|
Western Washington
|
6-4
|
.600
|
7-9
|
.438
|
4-4
|
3-2
|
0-3
|
L2
|
6-4
|
|
5.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
6-5
|
.545
|
6-13
|
.316
|
4-2
|
2-4
|
0-7
|
W4
|
5-5
|
|
6.
|
Western Oregon
|
5-6
|
.455
|
13-7
|
.650
|
3-4
|
4-3
|
6-0
|
L1
|
5-5
|
|
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
5-6
|
.455
|
11-10
|
.524
|
2-2
|
5-5
|
4-3
|
W1
|
5-5
|
|
8.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
4-7
|
.364
|
7-12
|
.368
|
4-5
|
2-6
|
1-1
|
L1
|
4-6
|
|
9.
|
Saint Martin's
|
3-8
|
.273
|
5-14
|
.263
|
1-6
|
2-2
|
2-6
|
L3
|
2-8
|
|
10.
|
Montana State Billings
|
0-11
|
.000
|
7-14
|
.333
|
4-8
|
2-4
|
1-2
|
L4
|
1-9
|
|
This Week's GNAC Schedule
|
|
Thursday, October 24:
Northwest Nazarene 3, at Montana State Billings 0
Alaska Fairbanks 3, at Saint Martin's 2
at Seattle Pacific 3, Central Washington 1
at Western Oregon 3, Alaska Anchorage 0
Saturday, October 26:
Central Washington 3, at Montana State Billings 0
Alaska Anchorage 3, at Saint Martin's 0
at Seattle Pacific 3, Northwest Nazarene 0
at Simon Fraser 3, Western Washington 1
Alaska Fairbanks 3, at Western Oregon 2
|
SERIES HISTORY VS. SIMON FRASER
The Vikings and Red Leafs split the season series with both teams winning on their home court. WWU defeated SFU 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-21) on September 27 in Bellingham. The Vikings lead the all-time series 75-36 with a 25-3 record in GNAC contests since 2010. SFU's victory was only the second in the last 16 matches in the series.
Here is a match-by-match look at the 2024 season with current results and the schedule:
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
|
Score
|
Score-by-set
|
|
WWU Invitational (Bellingham, WA)
|
|
9/5
|
Sonoma State
|
W
|
3-0
|
28-26,25-18,25-22
|
|
9/6
|
MSU Denver (#7)
|
L
|
0-3
|
14-25,22-25,20-25
|
|
9/7
|
San Francisco State
|
L
|
0-3
|
15-25,18-25,21-25
|
|
CWU Invitational (Ellensburg, WA)
|
|
9/12
|
Cal State San Bernardino (#16)
|
L
|
0-3
|
17-25,23-25,18-25
|
|
9/13
|
Cal State LA (#11)
|
L
|
0-3
|
15-25,24-26,15-25
|
|
9/14
|
Cal Poly Pomona(#10)
|
L
|
0-3
|
12-25,12-25,22-25
|
|
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
|
|
9/19
|
Alaska Fairbanks (GNAC)
|
L
|
2-3
|
25-18,15-25,21-25,25-22,13-15
|
|
9/21
|
Alaska Anchorage (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-2
|
22-25,22-25,25-20,25-20,15-9
|
|
9/27
|
Simon Fraser (GNAC) (RV)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-19,25-21,25-21
|
|
10/3
|
@Saint Martin's (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-17,29-27,25-23
|
|
10/5
|
@Western Oregon (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-18,25-22,25-20
|
|
10/10
|
Seattle Pacific (GNAC)
|
L
|
2-3
|
25-19,25-20,23-25,21-25,12-15
|
|
10/12
|
Montana State Billings (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-21,25-17,25-20
|
|
10/17
|
@Northwest Nazarene (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-18,25-20,25-20
|
|
10/19
|
@Central Washington (GNAC)
|
L
|
0-3
|
18-25,13-25,16-25
|
|
10/26
|
@Simon Fraser (GNAC)
|
L
|
1-3
|
19-25,25-21,22-25,23-25
|
|
10/31
|
Western Oregon (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
11/2
|
Saint Martin's (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
11/7
|
@Montana State Billings (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm MT
|
|
11/9
|
@Seattle Pacific (GNAC)
|
|
|
1:00 pm
|
|
11/14
|
Central Washington (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
11/16
|
Northwest Nazarene (GNAC)
|
|
|
7:00 pm
|
|
11/21
|
@Alaska Anchorage (GNAC)
|
|
|
11:00 am AKT
|
|
11/23
|
@Alaska Fairbanks (GNAC)
|
|
|
2:00 pm AKT
|
Fans can follow WWU Volleyball online at WWUVikings.com/VB, and via social media on 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 54th season as a varsity intercollegiate sport in 2024, rising to an elite level by advancing to the NCAA Division II Championships in 10 of the last 11 seasons and 16 of the last 22 dating back to the 2001 season. The program has recorded 1,031 all-time wins (1031-601-7). The winner of 11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference, the Vikings have four of the last seven GNAC titles with a 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 25th-year head coach Diane Flick-Williams (525-146) the Vikings have posted a 276-76 record over the last 13 seasons and played in the NCAA II West Region championship match five out of the last eight seasons, 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 eight seasons (2015, 2018, 2021).
