Home sweet home. While the road has been kind as of late, the Seattle Pacific University volleyball team is quite content to return home and does so at a great time with the Great Northwest Athletic Conference race heating up. The Falcons (5-4 GNAC, 9-8), who won both ends of a recent two-match road trip in convincing fashion, play five of their next seven, including their next three, at Brougham Pavilion. Friday night (Oct. 15), SPU hosts Saint Martin’s (1-8, 3-13). Saturday night (Oct .16), Seattle Pacific seeks to become the first foe to defeat 13th-ranked and unbeaten Central Washington (9-0, 17-0). The three-match homestand concludes Oct. 23 vs. No. 21 Western Washington.

The chase is on. Coach Kellie Ryan and her team’s recent hot spell came at an ideal time as the second half of conference play got underway last week. The Falcons entered the road trip tied for seventh in the GNAC. After its two sweeps at Western Oregon and Humboldt State, SPU climbed all the way into a tie for fourth place and is just two matches out of second. Central Washington, which has won 22 in a row dating back to last season, maintained the lead while both Seattle University and Western Washington suffered losses to fall within the Falcons’ reach.

Magnificent Myers. Outside hitter Chelsey Myers (Jr., Minden, Nv./Douglas) has continued to provide the spark Ryan has been seeking, especially in the second half of the season. Myers led SPU with a combined 21 kills in the two victories last week. She committed just seven errors and hit for a .212 percentage. She also tallied 23 digs, four blocks and posted a team-high 25.5 points. Myers has recorded double figures in kills in the past five matches, the longest active streak on the team, and eight of the past nine. Myers had also reached double figures in digs in all nine of those matches up until Saturday’s win at Humboldt State. She finished one short, with nine digs. Myers took over the team lead with 2.51 kills per game, good for 21st in the GNAC.

SPU's two seniors, Kathleen Monda (left) and Jessica Bauder, have put their veteran leadership on display, providing solid and consistent contributions.

Seniors surging. As the Falcons continue to press deeper into the season, the team’s only two seniors have put their veteran leadership on display, providing solid and consistent contributions. Kathleen Monda (Sr., Woodinville, Wa.) combined for 17 kills on a .318 hitting percentage in the two wins last week. She also had 12 digs and five blocks, scoring 20.5 Falcon points. Jessica Bauder (Sr., Richland, Wa.) finished with 18 kills and tied for a team-high 25 digs. She also had five blocks and scored on 23 points for SPU.

Ralph, Falcons continue stellar net play. Middle blocker Katie Ralph (Jr., Port Orchard, Wa./South Kitsap) has continued to elevate her and the team’s game at the net. Ralph had 11 kills and seven blocks in the two wins last week. She has averaged 1.3 blocks per game over the last nine matches, raising her season average to 1.08, third-best in the GNAC. Led by the Ralph, Seattle Pacific has climbed all the way to second in the league with 2.27 blocks per game. The Falcons are holding opponents to a .167 hitting percentage, fourth-best in the league.

Quick sets. SPU goes after its third straight win Friday night, a feat which would be the longest such string in 35 matches...Rachel Biornstad (Fr., Kent, Wa./Kentlake) and Whitney Dibble (So., Reno, Nv./Galena) both made significant contributions in limited roles last week. Biornstad, who only played at Western Oregon, matched her career-high in kills for the third straight match with eight. Dibble only saw action against Humboldt, but came through with eight kills on a .357 hitting percentage...After winning its first eight home matches in 2003, the Falcons have since gone 3-5, including 2-2 this season...Setter Jenna Von Moos (So., Stanwood, Wa.) ranks fifth in hitting percentage (.299) and eighth in assists (9.75 per game) in the GNAC. Ralph is also 10th in hitting (.254)...Libero Tiffany Butac (So., Pearl City, Hi./Hawaii Baptist) is 13th in digs (3.81).

SPU coaches. In her first four 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. She entered Œ04 with a overall mark of 68-40. 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). Chris Johnson, assistant for Westmont College in Santa Barbara from 2001-2003, joins the SPU staff this season. Jim Woolace returns for his fourth season as an assistant.

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.

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.