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Aug. 29, 2009

Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Outside hitters Megan Amundson (Jr., Stanwood) and Marlayna Geary (Fr., Tacoma/Bellarmine Prep) combined for 66 kills and 51 digs, each posting double-doubles in both matches, as nationally ranked Western Washington University closed out the Southern California Volleyball Classic with two victories Saturday, defeating Ashland OH, 24-26, 25-21, 25-20, 25-20, and No.20-rated Cal State L.A., 25-18, 23-25, 25-21, 20-25, 15-12.

It was the season-opening tourney for the Vikings, ranked No.23 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25 Poll, who improved to 3-1. They split a pair of matches Friday, being swept by No.2-ranked Cal State San Bernardino after beating Cal State Dominguez Hills, 3-1.

"I was pleased with how we played, especially considering how young we are and I'm happy at how we responded each match by getter better step by step," said Western coach Diane Flick.

Western handed CSULA its first loss in three matches this season.

There were seven ties and five lead changes in the decisive fifth set. With the score tied at 10-10, middle blocker Kathryn Mertens (Jr., Olympia) put the Vikings ahead to stay with two straight kills.

Geary had a team-high 23 kills and 12 digs, and Amundson added 14 kills and 14 digs. Jepsen contributed 11 kills and four blocks, Yearout 54 assists and 10 digs, and libero Allison Gotz (Jr., Bothell/Archbishop Murphy) had 25 digs.

The Vikings used an 11-5 run to take the first set, but the Eagles outscored Western 8-4 after trailing 19-17 to tie the match at 1-1 with a win the second set.

In the third set, Western went out to a 10-3 lead and never trailed in taking a 2-1 advantage, but in set four CSULA broke a 13-13 tie by scoring six straight points and knotted the match at 2-2.

The Golden Eagles were led by Gabriela Bulawczyk, who had a match-high 29 kills and 19 digs.

"I felt like we played with a lot better composure than we had throughout the tournament and in how we responded to their runs of points," said Flick. "We showed a little more of what we're capable of doing."

In the win over Ashland, Amundson tied for match-high honors with 16 kills (.255 attack percentage) and 10 digs, and Geary contributed 13 kills (.211) and 15 digs. Middle blocker Emily Jepsen (So., Kennewick/Kamiakin) had 10 kills and tied setter Laurie Yearout (R-Fr., Spokane/Lewis & Clark) for match high in blocks with five each. Yearout also had 34 assists and 10 digs.

Defensive specialist Haleigh Adkins (So., Puyallup/Rogers) added 13 digs and two service aces, and middle blockers Bailey Jones (Fr., Mukilteo/Kamiak) and Kathryn Mertens (Jr., Olympia) each had four blocks.

Ashland, which fell to 0-3, won the first set despite a furious rally by the Vikings. Trailing 22-17, Western went on a 7-2 run to tie at 24-all, Bailey serving four points, including an ace, and Geary having two kills. But Ashland took a 1-0 lead by scoring the next two points.

In set two, Western trailed 21-17, but scored eight straight points, seven on the serve of Adkins with Amundson contributing five kills, to tie the match at 1-1.

Western controlled the action in the final two sets. In the third set, a 6-1 run spurred by two Jepsen kills gave the Vikings a 21-12 advantage, and in the fourth set, five straight points, four served by Adkins, put them comfortably ahead, 20-12.

"I think we had bursts of good play and when we are able to extend those out a little longer, that's when real maturity will come in," Flick said

The Vikings next compete in the Central Washington University Invitational on Sept. 3-4. They meet Walla Walla (11 a.m.) and BYU Hawaii (5 p.m.) on Thursday, and Academy of Art (11 a.m.) and Sonoma State (5 p.m.) on Friday.