A week of preparation. The Seattle Pacific University women’s volleyball team gets the balance of the week to prepare for possibly a date with destiny. Western Washington (15-0, 21-1), the No. 4-ranked team in the nation and already-crowned Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion, arrives Saturday night (Nov. 8) to play the upset-minded Falcons (7-8, 14-8) at Brougham Pavilion. Next week, the season concludes with two more home matches, against Alaska Fairbanks and Alaska Anchorage.

Opportunity knocks. The playoffs may be out of reach, but making history is within the realm of possibility for Seattle Pacific. It has not beaten a top-10 team since Air Force in 1991 but if the Falcons can somehow upset Western it would be a night to remember for many, many years to come. In fact, SPU was the last conference team to defeat the Vikings, in 2000.

Lasting impressions. Even though the Falcons are out of the postseason picture, storylines are bountiful in the final three matches of the season. Most prominent are their stated goals of finishing in the top half of the GNAC standings and posting a final record that is .500 or better in conference play–a feat achieved by 14 of the past 16 SPU teams. On a more personal level, it’s a chance for players to make one last push, to give all they’ve got. Why? Well, for four seniors–Katy Higgins (Sr., Kirkland, Wa./Redmond), Katy Kravitz (Olympia, Wa./Olympia-S. Colorado), Andrea Pennington (Sr., Bellingham, Wa./Whatcom CC) and Andra Taylor (Sr., Camas, Wa./Mt. Hood CC)–it’s the twilight of their careers, and for the 10 others this is a chance to make a lasting impression on the coach and her plans for the 2004 lineup.

Looking ahead. Pennington, the libero for much of this season, rates among the conference leaders in digs. Higgins has split the setting duties after three years as the regular starter at that position. Already Coach Kellie Ryan has begun grooming their successors. Jenna Von Moos (Fr., Stanwood, Wa./Stanwood), the heir-apparent at setter, is the team’s assist leader. During the second half of the season Tiffany Butac (Fr., Pearl City, Hi./Hawaii Baptist) has come on strong in the back row and has traded the libero shirt back and forth with Pennington.

Going out in style. Of the departing seniors, Kravitz has caught fire. Playing near her hometown last week, she cracked a career-high nine kills in the sweep of Saint Martin’s. Kravitz then hit another eight kills and served two aces at Central Washington. Her attacking percentage was a respectable .261 for the week. Previously, she had been brought in primarily for her strong service game. Taylor’s five kills in eight attempts helped SPU take its first victory sweep since Sept. 6.

Last week’s results
Seattle Pacific def. Saint Martin’s 30-28, 30-22, 34-32
Central Washington def. Seattle Pacific 30-22, 30-22, 26-30, 30-25

Quick sets. Chelsey Myers (So., Minden, Nv./Douglas) recorded a season-high four services aces against Saint Martin’s…Normally associated with attacking statistics, Jessica Bauder (Jr., Richland, Wa./Col. Basin) had a season-high 24 digs at Ellensburg, matching the second-best total for the team this season...Butac had 19 digs in just three games at Saint Martin’s while Von Moos set 35 assists…Katie Ralph (So., Port Orchard, Wa./E. Tennessee) recorded 10 block assists and one solo last week, including seven assists at Central…The Falcons have averaged 11.0 blocks over the last four matches and they are averaging 2.16 per game overall...SPU ranks third in GNAC service aces (1.94), fourth in blocking and seventh in team hitting (.183)...Individually, Von Moos is eighth in assists (8.52) and eighth in service aces (0.34). Ralph is sixth in hitting percentage (.265) and sixth in blocking (0.99). Bauder is third in service aces (0.54) but her rate of 0.61 per game in league matches leads the GNAC.

Tickets, please. General admission tickets for all SPU home volleyball matches are priced $5 with students, youth and senior citizens $3 with proper identification. Teams or groups can qualify for discount rates by call (206) 281-2085 in advance.

SPU Coaches. In her first three seasons as a head coach, Kellie Ryan has guided the Falcons to new heights. Under Ryan, SPU earned its first two trips to the NCAA tournament and established a new record for consecutive wins (20) while equaling marks for most wins (24) and fewest losses (6) in a season. Ryan, whose past collegiate experience included two years under JoAnn Atwell-Scrivner at SPU (1994-95) and one year at Syracuse, was the Falcons’ starting setter from 1989-91, earning all-conference honors as a senior. She remains the SPU record-holder for service aces (142) in a career and single match assists (83). Returning to the staff as assistants are Antonela Secer and Jim Woolace.

Missing links. For the latest and best information on Seattle Pacific University athletics, stay where you're at -- on The Falcons Online. For updated standings and statistics, see the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web site.