BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University volleyball team recorded a Halloween night 3-1 victory over Western Oregon University on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
The Vikings snapped a mini two-match losing streak to improve to 8-9 overall and remains in 4th place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings at 7-4.
After not playing a four-set match in the first 15 matches of the season, WWU has played back-to-back matches concluding in four sets. WWU defeated WOU by set scores of 25-18, 21-25, 25-22, 25-17 to earn the season sweep over the Wolves and extend the winning streak in the series to 25 straight.
"I thought our group worked really hard and grinded out a victory against a feisty Western Oregon team," said WWU head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "Our middles (Voss and Dani) had a huge impact on the match and our serve-receive buckled down late in the match to give them opportunities to score."
The Vikings recorded a season-high team hitting percentage of .301 and featured six players with seven-or-more kills in the match. Junior outside hitter Devyn Oestreich led the way with her seventh double-double of the season tallying 12 kills and 17 digs, adding a pair of service aces and two block assists for a team-high 15.0 points.
Western's setter tandem of junior Adele Holland (26 assists) and sophomore Caroline Hansen (25 assists) distributed the ball well to help the team record the highest hitting percentage of the season.
Sophomore Emily Vossenkuhl (12 kills, .435) and redshirt freshman Dani Johnson (9 kills, .529) were forces in the middle. Junior opposite Janelle Grant added nine kills on a .333 hitting percentage and sophomore outside hitter Delaney Speer totaled seven kills and 16 digs. Sophomore libero Finnley Claeys had 14 digs.
WOU (13-8, 5-7 GNAC) was led by a match-high 18 kills and 11 digs from Madison Hornback (21.0 points) and a 16-kill, 11-dig double-double by Maela Honma.
Gallery: (10-31-2024) VB | WWU 3, WOU 1
The Vikings (8-9, 7-4 GNAC) remains at home hosting Saint Martin's on Saturday in a 7 pm match on WECU Court in Carver Gym. Free parking is 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 – Oestreich (12), Vossenkuhl (12), Grant (9)
Aces – Oestreich (2), Speer (2), Hansen (1)
Blocks – Johnson (3), Oestreich (2), Grant (2)
Assists – Holland (26), Hansen (25), Vossenkuhl (2)
Digs – Oestreich (17), Speer (16), Claeys (14)
Points – Oestreich (15.0), Vossenkuhl (13.0), Johnson (10.5), Grant (10.0), Speer (9.5)
Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and Western Oregon:
|
COMPARISON
|
WWU
|
WOU
|
|
Attack Pct.
|
.301 (56-16-133)
|
.243 (54-20-140)
|
|
Kills
|
56
|
54
|
|
Assists
|
54
|
52
|
|
Service Aces
|
5
|
7
|
|
Solo Blocks
|
0
|
0
|
|
Block Assists
|
10
|
14
|
|
Total Blocks
|
5.0
|
7.0
|
|
Digs
|
57
|
56
|
|
Tie Scores: 11 Lead Changes: 8
|
Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2024 season:
|
2024 RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall Record
|
8-9
|
|
Streak
|
W1
|
|
Home
|
5-4
|
|
Away
|
3-2
|
|
Neutral
|
0-3
|
|
GNAC Record
|
7-4
|
|
Non-Conference
|
1-5
|
|
3-Set Matches
|
6-6
|
|
4-Set Matches
|
1-1
|
|
5-Set Matches
|
1-2
|
|
Ranked Opponents
|
0-4
|
|
Winning First Set
|
7-2
|
|
Dropping First Set
|
1-7
|
|
Record by Jersey
|
|
White
|
4-2
|
|
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 Thursday to open the seventh week of the conference slate. Updated conference standings, results, schedule and statistics can be found online at GNACSports.com.
|
Rk
|
School
|
GNAC
|
Pct.
|
Overall
|
Pct.
|
Home
|
Away
|
Neutral
|
Streak
|
L10
|
|
1.
|
Simon Fraser
|
10-1
|
.909
|
14-4
|
.778
|
6-0
|
5-1
|
3-3
|
W8
|
9-1
|
|
2.
|
Central Washington
|
9-2
|
.818
|
11-6
|
.647
|
4-3
|
6-1
|
1-2
|
W1
|
8-2
|
|
3.
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
8-4
|
.667
|
16-6
|
.727
|
6-3
|
8-2
|
2-1
|
W4
|
7-3
|
|
4.
|
Western Washington
|
7-4
|
.636
|
8-9
|
.471
|
5-4
|
3-2
|
0-3
|
W1
|
7-3
|
|
5.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
6-6
|
.500
|
12-10
|
.545
|
3-2
|
5-5
|
4-3
|
W2
|
6-4
|
|
|
Seattle Pacific
|
6-6
|
.500
|
6-14
|
.300
|
4-2
|
2-5
|
0-7
|
L1
|
5-5
|
|
7.
|
Western Oregon
|
5-7
|
.417
|
13-8
|
.619
|
3-4
|
4-4
|
6-0
|
L2
|
5-5
|
|
8.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
4-7
|
.364
|
7-12
|
.368
|
4-5
|
2-6
|
1-1
|
L1
|
4-6
|
|
9.
|
Saint Martin's
|
3-9
|
.250
|
5-15
|
.250
|
1-6
|
2-3
|
2-6
|
L4
|
2-8
|
|
10.
|
Montana State Billings
|
0-12
|
.000
|
7-15
|
.318
|
4-8
|
2-5
|
1-2
|
L5
|
1-9
|
|
This Week's GNAC Schedule
|
|
Thursday, October 31:
at Western Washington 3, Western Oregon 1
at Simon Fraser 3, Saint Martin's 0
at Alaska Fairbanks 3, Montana State Billings 0
at Alaska Anchorage 3, Seattle Pacific 0
Saturday, November 2:
Northwest Nazarene at Central Washington, 1 pm
Seattle Pacific at Alaska Fairbanks, 2 pm AKT
Western Oregon at Simon Fraser, 7 pm
Saint Martin's at Western Washington, 7 pm
Montana State Billings at Alaska Anchorage, 7 pm AKT
|
SERIES HISTORY VS. WESTERN OREGON
WWU swept the season series vs. WOU adding a 3-0 victory in Monmouth on October 5 to tonight's 3-1 victory. The Vikings are 53-14 all-time vs. the Wolves with a current 25-match winning streak. WWU has also won 25 consecutive home matches against WOU dating back to the 2000 season.
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)
|
W
|
3-1
|
25-18,21-25,25-22,25-17
|
|
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 1,032 all-time wins (1032-601-7). 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 (526-146) the Vikings have posted a 277-76 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).
