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Sept. 28, 2009

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Facing its toughest league test to date, the Western Washington University volleyball team travels to Great Northwest Athletic Conference-leading Seattle Pacific on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. match at Royal Brougham Pavilion.

The Vikings, 10-5 overall and second in the GNAC standings at 3-1, then entertain arch-rival Central Washington on Saturday (7 p.m.) on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium.

Seattle Pacific is unbeaten in three league contests this season and 9-6 overall. The Falcons lead the GNAC in three team categories, including attack percentage (.213), kills (12.83 per set) and opponent kill percentage (.149).

Central is 9-6 overall and 1-3 in league counters. The Wildcats have lost five of their last seven matches following a 7-1 start.

Western, the preseason favorite of the conference coaches, is second in the GNAC with a .212 attack percentage.

Four Vikings rank in the top five among league statistical leaders. Middle blocker Emily Jepsen (So., Kennewick/Kamiakin) leads the GNAC in blocks with a 1.02 per set average. Libero Allison Gotz (Jr., Bothell/Archbishop Murphy) is third in digs (4.98) as is setter Laurie Yearout (R-Fr., Spokane/Lewis & Clark) in assists (9.87), and outside hitter Marlayna Geary (Fr., Fr., Tacoma/Bellarmine Prep) is fourth in kills (3.64).

Last week, the Vikings split a pair of league contests on their home floor, suffering a rare loss on Haggen Court, 3-2 to Alaska Anchorage, then rebounding with a sweep of Alaska Fairbanks. Western is 4-2 at home this fall.

The Vikings' second-team GNAC all-star outside hitter Megan Amundson (Jr., Stanwood) returned to action last week after seeing action in just two plays over the previous five matches because of a groin injury. She had 14 kills and three blocks against Alaska Anchorage.

Geary and Jepsen each had 10 kills as Western outhit Alaska Fairbanks, .278 to .148, and had a 10-2 advantage in blocks over the Nanooks.

Seattle Pacific is led by Amber Johnson, who was originally recruited to Western. She is second among league leaders in attack percentage (.369) and third in blocks (1.00). In her first year as assistant coach for the Falcons is former Western All-America libero Nicola Parker.

Central's Erin Norris leads the GNAC in aces (0.80) as does Brandie Vea in digs (6.07).

Western leads its series with Seattle Pacific, 35-20, winning the last four meetings. The Vikings have a 56-38-1 advantage over Central, prevailing in the last six meetings.

Notes: The loss to Alaska Anchorage snapped a 17-match series winning streak for the Vikings, who are now 128-16 all-time in GNAC matches, a winning percentage of .889 ... Three of Western's five losses this season have been to American Volleyball Coaches Association/NCAA Division II Top 25-rated teams ... The Vikings' 3-1 win over defending GNAC champion Western Oregon snapped a 19-match home victory streak for the Wolves ... The Vikings have won four GNAC titles (2001-03, 2007) since the league began in 2001 and placed second last season. The GNAC champion earns an automatic berth in the NCAA II National Tournament ... 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 ... The Vikings fell out of the AVCA Top 25 Poll two weeks ago, after being listed in the preseason (23rd) and first two regular-season ratings (21st and 24th) ... 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 ... Western is 85-9 (.904) at Carver Gym during Flick's 10 seasons. Flick has a career record of 206-55, her .789 winning percentage ranking eighth among NCAA II active coaches.