Box Score

        Box score, play-by-play
 
SEATTLE – They fought off two match points to stay alive. But the Seattle Pacific Falcons weren't able to keep it going.
 
After forcing Western Washington into a fourth game, SPU saw the No. 11-ranked Vikings lead that one from start to finish in closing out a Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball victory on Thursday night.
 
Scores in Brougham Pavilion were 29-27, 25-12, 25-27, 25-15.
 
Senior outside hitter Madi Cavell slammed 21 kills for the Falcons. Senior setter Sara Biondi recorded a double-double of 40 assists and 10 digs.
 
Senior libero Brianna Leenders came up with a season-high 28 digs and moved into No. 5 on the all-time SPU career list for that statistical category. She now has 1,341, climbing past Stephanie Huffman's 1,339 (1997-2000).
 
"That third game, coming back like that (from 24-23 and 25-24 down) and pulling together just shows our determination and our capabilities, and what we can do," Biondi said. "We just need to realize that quicker and put it to use at the beginning of a game."
 
The Falcons (9-4, 3-2 GNAC), winding up a busy September on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. against Simon Fraser in Brougham, dropped their second straight.
 
"I felt like Game 1 should have gone our way, and Game 3 obviously did," SPU head coach Chris Johnson said. "But we didn't do nearly enough in Games 2 and 4 to win a match, or even those sets.
 
"We played really well at times and played really poorly at times. We can't have that kind of inconsistency if we want to be competitive," he added.
 
SPU was on the brink of getting swept for the second straight match after Western Washington (10-3, 3-1 GNAC), already up two games, came from 20-19 down in Game 3 to take a 24-23 lead.

 

Junior outside hitter Ellie Britt (Orange, Calif.) pulled the Falcons even with a kill off a Vikings blocker. A service error gave Western another try with a 25-24 edge. But sophomore middle blocker Maddi Hommes (Lynden, Wash. / Lynden HS) saved that one with a kill.
 
That gave the serve to Britt at 25-all. A kill by Cavell (Keizer, Ore.) put SPU on top, 26-25, then Britt's next serve skimmed the net cord and dropped in for an ace and the game.
 
Western Washington scored the first two points of Game 4 and built a 9-4 lead. Seattle Pacific never came any closer than three, the last time at 12-9.
 
"It's tough to come back from a five-point hole and overcome that and gain a lead and win a game," Johnson said. "We're digging ourselves those holes too often lately."
 
That happened in the opening game, as well. SPU fell behind, 13-6, but did climb all the way out of that one, and eventually had three chances at game point, serving at 24-23, 26-25, and 27-26. But the Vikings answered each time, ultimately scoring the final three points to win it.
 
The Falcons crushed 52 kills, with Britt (11) also in double figures. Senior opposite Jessica Miller (Fife, Wash. / Fife HS) had nine, and hit at a .368 clip. But Seattle Pacific was hurt by 15 service errors and 22 attack errors.
 
"Madi Cavell played well tonight, Ellie played really well, Jess is doing a really good job, and Sara is doing everything she can as far as distributing the ball," Johnson said.

"We just had too many errors to win."
 
Jennica McPherson had 15 of WWU's 59 kills. The Vikings hit .244.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
 
(No. 11) Western Washington 3, Seattle Pacific 1
 
Game scores – 29-27, 25-12, 25-27, 25-15.
 
Service aces – WWU 4 (Joellee Buckner 2), SPU 3 (3 players with 1).
Kills – WWU 59 (Jennica McPherson 15), SPU 52 (Madi Cavell 21).
Assists – WWU 57 (Taylor Dillard 51), SPU 50 (Sara Biondi 40).
Digs – WWU s79 (Samantha Hutchinson 29), SPU 78 (Brianna Leenders 28).
Block assists / solo – WWU 10 / 0 solo (McPherson 4 / 0 solo), SPU 14 / 1 solo (Maddi Hommes 5 / 0 solo).
Hitting (kills-errors-attacks) – Wwu 59-18-168--.244 (Buckner 12-3-23-.391), SPU 52-22-170--.176 (Hommes 3-0-8--.375, Jessica Miller 9-2-19--.368).
Attendance – 192.
 
Records – Seattle Pacific 9-4, 3-2 GNAC. Western Washington 10-3, 3-1 GNAC.
 
Next match – Simon Fraser at Seattle Pacific, Saturday, Brougham Pavilion, 7:30 p.m.