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Sept. 28, 2012

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Posting huge volleyball numbers this season for Western Washington University is the trio of outside hitter Marlayna Geary (Sr., Tacoma/Bellarmine), libero Samantha Hutchinson (So., University Place/Curtis) and setter Laurie Yearout (Sr., Spokane/Lewis & Clark). They rank among the top 10 nationally in four NCAA Division II statistical categories and lead the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Geary tops the GNAC in both points and kills. Her 5.06 points per set average is fifth nationally and her 4.40 kills 10th. She currently is sixth among WWU career leaders in kills with 1,165 (needs nine to tie for fifth with Lorrie Post, 1987-90), and has had nine double-doubles this season in kills and digs.

Yearout is third nationally and the GNAC leader in assists, averaging 12.43 (584). She ranks fifth among WWU career leaders with 2,571 (needs four to tie for fourth with Katie Robinson, 2004-07).

Hutchinson ranks sixth nationally and leads the league in digs, averaging 5.94 per set (279).

The Vikings, ranked No.17 in the Volleyball Coaches Association Coaches' Top 25 Poll, are 11-2 overall and in a two-way tie for second in the league standings at 4-1 with Central Washington. Their opponent Saturday (7 p.m.) at Sam Carver Gymnasium is Western Oregon, which holds down the top spot at 3-0 and is 10-2 overall, winning its fifth straight match at Simon Fraser on Thursday.

WWU leads the GNAC in four team categories - hitting percentage (.285), assists (13.68), kills (14.23) and digs (16.34). The Vikings are fifth nationally in assists, seventh in hitting percentage and ninth in kills. Holding opponents to .198 hitting, they also have big advantages in blocks (90.5 to 61.0) and service aces (72 to 36).

WWU, coached by Diane Flick (13th year, 260-72), has won 21 of its last 22 matches at Carver Gym (3-0 this season) since late in 2009, including its last eight. The Vikings have won 90 percent (108-12) of their home matches since going to a SportCourt surface in 2000 and are 223-78 overall (74 percent) overall at Carver Gym.

Western Oregon is holding opponents to a conference-best hitting percentage of .133, and also leads the league in blocks (2.42) and service aces (1.88).

WWU holds a 26-13 series advantage over Western Oregon, winning the last six meetings.