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Sept. 21, 2009

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Tied for the league lead, the Western Washington University volleyball squad faces two tough Great Northwest Athletic Conference tests this week, playing host to University of Alaska Anchorage on Thursday (7 p.m.) and University of Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday (7 p.m.) on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium.

The Vikings are 9-4 overall and tied for first-place in the GNAC standings at 2-0 with Seattle Pacific. They opened league play last week by sweeping Saint Martin's at home and winning 3-1 at defending GNAC champion Western Oregon, snapping the Wolves' 19-match home victory streak.

"Because the conference race is going to be so tight, we're going to have to defend our home court," said Western coach Diane Flick.

Western has won four of its last five matches, the only loss being at its WWU Invitational to American Volleyball Coaches Association/NCAA Division II nationally No.7-ranked West Texas A&M. Three of the Vikings' four losses this season have been to Top 25-rated teams.

Western, the preseason GNAC coaches favorite, is 84-8 (.913) at Carver Gym during Flick's 10 seasons. Flick has a career record of 205-54, her .792 winning percentage ranking eighth among NCAA II active coaches.

The Vikings, who have won four GNAC titles (2001-03, 2007) since the league began in 2001, placed second last season. They top the league with a record of 127-15 in conference matches, a winning percentage of .894.

The GNAC champion earns an automatic berth in the NCAA II National Tournament.

Among the league's statistical leaders, Western middle blocker Emily Jepsen (So., Kennewick/Kamiakin) is in a three-way tie for first in blocks at 1.00 per set.

Outside hitter Marlayna Geary (Fr., Tacoma/Bellarmine Prep) ranks third in kills (3.73) and points (3.94), libero Allison Gotz (Jr., Bothell/Archbishop Murphy) third in digs (5.20) and setter Laurie Yearout (Fr., Spokane/Lewis & Clark) third in assists (9.78).

Geary had a match-high 15 kills versus Saint Martin's, and 14 kills and 16 digs against Western Oregon. Jepsen had 15 kills on .464 hitting and five blocks versus the Wolves.

Gotz, who received AVCA All-America honorable mention in 2008, and Geary were all-tourney picks at both the SoCal Classic and Central Washington Invitational earlier this season.

Alaska Anchorage, 8-5 overall and 0-1 league, has the league's second-leading setter in Calli Scott with a 9.91 average. Jackie Matthisen and McKenzie Moss rank fifth and sixth with respective kill averages of 3.38 and 3.29.

Alaska Fairbanks, 7-5 overall and 1-0 GNAC (Sept. 24 at Central Washington), leads the league in service aces at 2.16. Jessica Hill ranks second individually among GNAC leaders at 0.50, Megan Thigpen fourth (0.48) and Allison Oddy sixth (0.45).

Thigpen also is second in both kills (3.75) and points (4.40), and Erica Gage is tied for first in blocks (1.00).

The status of Western's second-team all-GNAC outside hitter Megan Amundson (Jr., Stanwood), who has been bothered by a groin injury, remains indefinite. She was in two plays against Western Oregon, her only action in the last five matches.

Western did not earn a berth in the national playoffs last year despite a 21-3 record after being the national runner-up in 2007.

The Vikings fell out of the American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA II Coaches Top 25 Poll last week, after being listed in the preseason (23rd) and first two regular-season ratings (21st and 24th).