Closing time. The sun sets on the volleyball season this weekend as Seattle Pacific University hosts a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference matches at Brougham Pavilion. With a goal of finishing the conference season at .500 and sending the senior class out on a positive note, the Falcons (7-8, 14-8) face Alaska Fairbanks (10-6, 13-8) Friday night (Nov. 14) and Alaska Anchorage (9-7, 15-9) in Saturday evening’s (Nov. 15) finale.

Plenty to play for. It’s not what Coach Kellie Ryan had envisioned, but there is still plenty to play for this weekend. If the Falcons can sweep the Alaska teams they could tie for fifth place in the GNAC and thereby consider themselves in the upper division. They also want to reestablish themselves on their home court following two consecutive losses in the pavilion, where SPU is now 8-2 this season, second-best in the GNAC. Seattle Pacific has not lost three in a row at home since 1992 and has not dropped four straight home matches since 1987. Finally, there is the matter of building momentum for the 2004 season, since 11 of the 15 roster players are eligible to return.

This is it. Prior to Saturday’s match, Ryan and the rest of the team plan to pay tribute to the four seniors: Katy Higgins (Sr., Kirkland., Wa./Redmond), Katy Kravitz (Olympia, Wa./S. Colorado), Andrea Pennington (Sr., Bellingham, Wa./Whatcom CC), and Andra Taylor (Sr., Camas, Wa./Mt. Hood CC). Higgins is the lone four-year veteran while Kravitz and Taylor have been at SPU three years and Pennington two. Higgins was a key player on the Falcons’ two NCAA tournament teams in 2000 and ‘01. She ranks No. 2 in career assists and holds records for season average of 11.86, set in ‘01. Kravitz, Taylor and Pennington are solid role players. Kravitz has come on strong in the last weeks of her career, averaging 2.70 kills per game in her last three matches, including a career-best 10 last week. Taylor has averaged 1.18 kills and 0.68 blocks as a reserve in the middle and outside. Pennington, who excels in the back row, enters this week’s matches ranked No. 4 in career digs average (3.56).

Looking back. Fortunately, the Falcons have an opportunity to bounce back from last week’ loss to No. 4-ranked Western Washington. Seattle Pacific led by as many as six points (19-13) in game one, but the Vikings responded to score nine of the last 10 points and then take a quick 13-3 lead in game two. They closed out the evening by scoring nine of the last 10 points in game three. For SPU it was only the third 3-0 loss this season and the first at home. It managed to hold the visitors to one of their lower hitting percentages (.218) of the season. In addition to Kravitz, Whitney Dibble (Fr., Reno, Nv./Galena) had nine kills on an attack percentage of .280 while Kathleen Monda (Jr., Woodinville, Wa./Woodinville) and Tiffany Butac (Fr., Pearl City, Hi./Hawaii Baptist) had 20 and 19 digs, respectively.

Last week’s results:
Western Washington def. Seattle Pacific 30-26, 30-21, 30-21

Quick sets. SPU is also seeking to avoid its first three-match overall losing skid this season. It has won four of the last five senior nights...Jessica Bauder (Jr., Richland, Wa./Col. Basin) has 46 service aces, which currently ties her for No. 5 all-time in a season. Her average of 0.52 is fractions behind record-holder Dawn Wolfert’s 0.54 in 1993...Jenna Von Moos (Fr., Stanwood, Wa./Stanwood) set for 38 assists, the most for a setter in a three-game match this season…SPU ranks third in GNAC service aces (1.90), fourth in blocks (2.12), fourth in digs (18.82) and seventh team hitting (.179)...Individually, Katie Ralph (So., Port Orchard, Wa./E. Tennessee St.) ranks seventh in hitting percentage (.266) and blocks (0.97). Von Moos is eighth in assists (8.72) and ninth in service aces (0.34). Bauder is third in season service aces (0.52) and first (0.56) in GNAC matches only.

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.