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Oct. 5, 2009

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Very much in contention for the league title and with it an automatic berth in the NCAA Division II national playoffs, Western Washington University entertains Northwest Nazarene University on Thursday (7 p.m.) in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball contest on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium.

The Vikings, 11-6 overall and in a three-way tie for second in the GNAC standings at 4-2, just one-half match out of first, then travel to Saint Martin's University on Saturday (7 p.m.).

Western's home match with Northwest Nazarene is "Dig Pink" night, part of a National Breast Cancer awareness rally that is taking place at colleges and high schools throughout the month of October to help educate and raise funds to help fight breast cancer. Everyone attending the match is encouraged to wear pink.

Last week, Western split a pair of GNAC matches, being swept at league-leading Seattle Pacific (4-1), then rebounding to sweep Central Washington.

Western, the preseason GNAC coaches favorite to win this year's league crown, has four players ranked in the top four among league statistical leaders. Middle blocker Emily Jepsen (So., Kennewick/Kamiakin) leads the GNAC in blocks with a 1.05 per set average. Libero Allison Gotz (Jr., Bothell/Archbishop Murphy) is third in digs (5.14) as is setter Laurie Yearout (R-Fr., Spokane/Lewis & Clark) in assists (10.03), and outside hitter Marlayna Geary (Fr., Fr., Tacoma/Bellarmine Prep) is fourth in kills (3.78).

Geary had 19 kills and a .400 hitting percentage in the Vikings' victory over Central, and Jepsen had 10 kills and six blocks.

Northwest Nazarene is 11-7 overall and among the trio of teams tied for second in the conference standings. The Crusaders, who lead the nation in digs per set at 18.78, have lost two of their last three matches after winning six of seven.

Saint Martin's is 1-12 overall (Oct. 8 at Western Oregon) and winless in six GNAC matches. Ten of the Saints' losses have been by sweeps.

Western leads its series with Northwest Nazarene, 23-4, the Vikings having a 17-match series winning streak snapped last season in a 3-1 loss at Bellingham.

Western has a 42-5 series advantage over Saint Martin's, winning the last 21 meetings with the Saints including a sweep at Bellingham on Sept. 17.

Notes: The Vikings are 129-17 all-time in GNAC matches, a winning percentage of .884. They have split a pair of league matches each of the last two weeks after opening GNAC play with two wins ... Three of Western's five losses this season have been to American Volleyball Coaches Association/NCAA II Top 25-rated teams ... 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 Southern California Classic and Central Washington Invitational to open the season ... Western fell out of the AVCA Top 25 Poll three weeks ago, after being listed in the preseason (23rd) and first two regular-season ratings (21st and 24th) ... The Vikings 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 86-9 (.905) at Carver Gym during Flick's 10 seasons and 5-2 this season ... Flick has a career record of 207-56, her .787 winning percentage ranking eighth among NCAA II active coaches.