BILLINGS, Mont. – Led by the trio of Dani Johnson, Devyn Oestreich and Delaney Speer, the Western Washington University volleyball team defeated Montana State Billings 3-1 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play Thursday night inside Alterowitz Gymnasium.
The 25-18, 17-25, 25-15, 25-16 victory extended the Vikings winning streak to three consecutive matches keeping them at fourth place in the GNAC standings at 9-4 with a 10-9 overall record.
"Billings is always a tough place to play as they are a scrappy team," said WWU head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "I'm proud of our team and how they came back after the second set. Dani (Johnson) had a great night at the net and Anna's (VanderYacht) service run at the end was solid."
Redshirt freshman middle Dani Johnson tied her career high with 12 kills and established a career high with nine blocks to lead the Vikings with 17 points. Junior outside hitter Devyn Oestreich recorded her 8th double-double of the season with 12 kills and 13 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Delaney Speer was one kill away from putting up a double-double of her own, ending the night with a 9-kill, 13-dig performance. Oestreich and Speer also added 2 service aces each.
The Vikings once again had a balanced offensive attack with six players recording six or more kills as sophomore Caroline Hansen (28 assists) and junior Adele Holland (19 assists) spread the ball around guiding the team to a .285 hitting percentage for the second-best mark of the season. Junior Anna VanderYacht added a pair of service aces for the Vikings.
The Western defense tied their second-highest total team blocks for the season with 11 and held the Yellowjackets to a .181 hitting percentage for the match.
Montana State Billings (7-17, 0-14 GNAC) was led by Jordin Taulua (15 kills), Julia Gordon (12 kills) and Jahsita Fa'ali'I (10-kill, 10-dig double-double).
The Vikings (10-9, 9-4 GNAC) closes out the weekly schedule Saturday facing Seattle Pacific at 1 pm in Royal Brougham Pavilion. Live coverage links to watch and follow the Vikings on the road are available at wwuvikings.com/Live.
Kills – Oestreich (12), Johnson (12), Speer (9)
Aces – VanderYacht (2), Oestreich (2), Speer (2)
Blocks – Johnson (9), May (4), Oestreich (2)
Assists – Hansen (28), Holland (19), Claeys (3)
Digs – Oestreich (13), Speer (13), Claeys (13)
Points – Johnson (17.0), Oestreich (15.0), Speer (12.0), May (9.0), Grant (9.0)
Here is a look at the statistical comparison between WWU and Montana State Billings:
|
COMPARISON
|
WWU
|
MSUB
|
|
Attack Pct.
|
.285 (54-15-137)
|
.181 (49-24-138)
|
|
Kills
|
54
|
49
|
|
Assists
|
54
|
44
|
|
Service Aces
|
6
|
1
|
|
Solo Blocks
|
1
|
0
|
|
Block Assists
|
20
|
4
|
|
Total Blocks
|
11.0
|
2.0
|
|
Digs
|
58
|
54
|
|
Tie Scores: 12 Lead Changes: 9
|
Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2024 season:
|
2024 RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall Record
|
10-9
|
|
Streak
|
W3
|
|
Home
|
6-4
|
|
Away
|
4-2
|
|
Neutral
|
0-3
|
|
GNAC Record
|
9-4
|
|
Non-Conference
|
1-5
|
|
3-Set Matches
|
7-6
|
|
4-Set Matches
|
2-1
|
|
5-Set Matches
|
1-2
|
|
Ranked Opponents
|
0-4
|
|
Winning First Set
|
9-2
|
|
Dropping First Set
|
1-7
|
|
Record by Jersey
|
|
White
|
4-2
|
|
Light Blue
|
0-4
|
|
Dark Gray
|
0-0
|
|
Navy Blue
|
6-3
|
2024 GNAC STANDINGS & WEEKLY SCHEDULE
Here is a look at the updated GNAC Volleyball standings and weekly following play on Thursday to open the eighth 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
|
11-2
|
.846
|
15-5
|
.750
|
7-0
|
5-2
|
3-3
|
L1
|
9-1
|
|
|
Central Washington
|
11-2
|
.846
|
13-6
|
.684
|
6-3
|
6-1
|
1-2
|
W3
|
8-2
|
|
3.
|
Alaska Fairbanks
|
10-4
|
.714
|
18-6
|
.750
|
7-3
|
9-2
|
2-1
|
W6
|
8-2
|
|
4.
|
Western Washington
|
9-4
|
.692
|
10-9
|
.526
|
6-4
|
4-2
|
0-3
|
W3
|
7-3
|
|
5.
|
Alaska Anchorage
|
7-7
|
.500
|
13-11
|
.542
|
4-2
|
5-6
|
4-3
|
L1
|
6-4
|
|
|
Seattle Pacific
|
7-7
|
.500
|
7-15
|
.318
|
5-2
|
2-6
|
0-7
|
W1
|
6-4
|
|
7.
|
Western Oregon
|
6-8
|
.429
|
14-9
|
.609
|
4-4
|
4-5
|
6-0
|
W1
|
5-5
|
|
8.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
4-9
|
.308
|
7-14
|
.333
|
4-6
|
2-7
|
1-1
|
L3
|
3-7
|
|
9.
|
Saint Martin's
|
3-11
|
.214
|
5-17
|
.227
|
1-6
|
2-5
|
2-6
|
L6
|
1-9
|
|
10.
|
Montana State Billings
|
0-14
|
.000
|
7-17
|
.292
|
4-9
|
2-6
|
1-2
|
L7
|
1-9
|
|
This Week's GNAC Schedule
|
|
Thursday, November 7:
Alaska Fairbanks 3, at Northwest Nazarene 0
Western Washington 3, at Montana State Billings 1
at Western Oregon 3, Saint Martin's 0
at Seattle Pacific 3, Simon Fraser 0
at Central Washington 3, Alaska Anchorage 0
Saturday, November 9:
Simon Fraser at Montana State Billings, 12 pm MT
Alaska Anchorage at Northwest Nazarene, 1 pm MT
Alaska Fairbanks at Central Washington, 1 pm
Western Washington at Seattle Pacific, 1 pm
|
SERIES HISTORY VS. MSU BILLINGS
The Vikings swept the season series over MSUB adding a 3-0 victory against the Yellowjackets (25-21, 25-17, 25-20) on October 12 in Bellingham. WWU is 35-2 all-time vs. MSUB dating back to the first match in the series in 1991. The Vikings have won 17 of the last 18 vs. MSUB.
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)
|
W
|
3-0
|
25-15,25-15,25-20
|
|
11/7
|
@Montana State Billings (GNAC)
|
W
|
3-1
|
25-17,18-25,25-15,25-16
|
|
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 1,034 all-time wins (1034-601-7). 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 (528-146) the Vikings have posted a 279-76 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).
