SEATTLE -- Seattle Pacific's serving game was on point.
 
Lindsay Rosenthal and Allison Wilks each served three aces for Falcons, who swept a women's volleyball match over Western Washington in straight sets in their final home contest. The scores on Iron Coaching Court at Brougham Pavilion were 25-15, 25-20, 25-22.
 
When Maddie Pruden's right-side attack slammed off the Western block and out of bounds for the final point of the night, SPU secured its first sweep over the Vikings since a Sept. 30, 2009 encounter in Seattle.
 
Friday's victory evens the season series at two matches apiece heading into a doubleheader at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday (May 15) in Bellingham. Those two matches complete Seattle Pacific's schedule for the unique 2021 spring season.
 
The Falcons (11-5) rallied from early deficits in each set. They picked up their third consecutive victory on the strength of a defense that limited WWU to a .085 hitting percentage. SPU served up 11 total aces while surrendering only three scoring serves to the Vikings.
 
Maddie Batiste racked up a team-high nine kills for Seattle Pacific, which got six apiece from Pruden and Hannah Hair.
 
Setter Lindsey Lambert delivered 18 assists and dug 15 balls en route to her eighth double-double of the season and 13th of her career. She also contributed two aces and two kills.
 
Calley Heilborn collected nine kills for the Vikings (7-2), who lost for just the second time this season. Their first setback was also dealt by SPU, a 3-1 decision on April 24 in Seattle.
 
Set 1
SPU rallied from an early 6-2 deficit to win the opening set going away. Back-to-back kills by Sydney Perry started a run of four straight points that leveled the score at 6-6.
 
The Vikings immediately reclaimed the lead and built their margin to 12-9. But they got stuck on 12 for the next six points, capped by a hit from Perry that landed for a 15-12 Falcons edge.
 
Chloe Roetcisoender recorded a kill to draw the visitors within 19-15, but the Falcons finished with a six-point flourish to win 25-15.
 
Batiste registered five kills and five digs for the victors in the inaugural set.
 
Set 2
 

Another rally, another successful set for SPU.
 
Kylie Honrud pounded three kills in a span of six points, putting Western up 12-6. The Falcons responded with an eight-point spree sparked by stellar serving from Wilks.
 
A kill by Batiste earned SPU the ball and Wilks served up seven straight points, including three aces, that put the hosts ahead for good at 14-12.
 
A four-point run helped the Falcons close out the set with an 8-5 surge that produced the final 25-20 set score.
 
Kasey Woodruff accounted for nine digs and the only ace of the set for the Vikings.
 
A balanced SPU attack was led by four kills in 12 swings from Hannah Hair.
 
Set 3
Attempting to avoid a sweep, the Vikings stormed out to a 7-1 advantage to start the third set.
 
As they did in the first two sets, SPU staged a comeback. An immediate five-point surge drew the hosts close and then, after a single WWU score, a four-point run put them in front at 10-8.
 
The Falcons never trailed after that, but there were two ties before they took control. Back-to-back attack errors by Erin Gould enabled Western to equalize at 14-14. Gould redeemed herself with a kill on the next point to give the serve to SPU, igniting a run of seven straight points. Gould was on the serve for the final six points and she dropped two aces on the Vikings during the stretch that yielded a 21-14 advantage.
 
Western battled back to close within 24-22 on an ace by Heilborn, but Pruden's match-ending smash off the block followed.
 
The Falcons were able to overcome a subpar .050 hitting percentage in the final set by holding WWU at .000 with 11 kills and 11 attack errors.

SENIOR DAY CEREMONY

Prior to the match Seattle Pacific's lone departing player, Gabi Stegemoller, was recognized with a Senior Day ceremony in honor of her final home playing appearance. She was in the starting lineup and was slotted up as the match's first server.
 
The middle blocker, a product of Jesuit High School in West Linn, Oregon, has compiled 193 total blocks and 349 kills during her collegiate career. Stegemoller is a nursing major and three-time member of the GNAC All-Academic team.
 
NCAA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Friday, May 14, 2021
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
 
Seattle Pacific 3, Western Washington 0
 
Set scores – 25-15, 25-20, 25-22.
 
Service aces – WWU 3 (Woodruff 2), SPU 11 (Rosenthal, Wilks 3).
Kills – WWU 34 (Heilborn 9), SPU 36 (Batiste 9).
Assists – WWU 31 (Payne 17), SPU 32 (Lambert 18).
Digs – WWU 50 (Woodruff 18), SPU 56 (Lambert 15).
Block assists / solo – WWU 4 / 0 solo (Roetcisoender 4), SPU 5 / 1 solo (Wilks 2).
Hitting (kills-errors-attacks) – WWU 34-24-118—.085 (Maracich 1-0-2—.500, Fairchild 4-0-9—.444), SPU 36-19-115—.148 (Lambert 2-0-4—.500, Hair 6-1-18—.278, Perry 6-1-18—.278).
 
Records
Western Washington 7-2
Seattle Pacific 11-5
 
Next SPU Match
Seattle Pacific at Western Washington (doubleheader)
Saturday, May 15, 12:30 p.m.
Carver Gymnasium / Bellingham, Wash.