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Eyes on the prize. Having already established a new school record for consecutive home volleyball wins, Seattle Pacific University aims to wrap-up the Brougham Pavilion portion of its season undefeated and secure at least a share of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship. With a pair of victories in the final two regular season home matches, the Falcons can clinch at least a tie for the league title. Thirteenth-ranked SPU (13-0, 21-2) hosts Alaska Fairbanks (5-7, 6-13) Thursday night (Oct. 26) and Alaska Anchorage (2-11, 5-17) Saturday (Oct .28) for Senior Night. The regular season concludes Nov. 2 at Western Washington and the NCAA Division II tournament begins Nov. 9.

Movin' on up. With their 3-0 sweep of Saint Martin’s last week, the Falcons also recorded their 24th straight GNAC and 15th straight overall victories. Seattle Pacific moved up another spot in the AVCA/NCAA II national poll, now the program’s highest ever ranking. Cal State San Bernardino sustained its first loss of the season (to UC San Diego) but remains the frontrunner to host the Pacific Regional. BYU Hawaii, which handed SPU its first defeat, is the lone remaining undefeated team in the region.

GNAC snapshot. The GNAC race figures to be determined in Bellingham, where Western Washington is undefeated going into this week. SPU seeks its second title in a row after sharing the trophy with Central Washington in 2005. The Falcons have never won an outright conference championship. They have made the NCAA tournament three times.

Jenna on top. With the program off to its best start in 21 years, records are bound to fall. Setter Jenna Von Moos (Sr., 5-10, Stanwood, Wa.) tallied 36 assists in last week’s only match to become the school’s career leader, currently at 3,793. Deri Paulson (1986-89), a member of the original team, had logged 3,783. With 207 more assists, Von Moos could become just the third player in league history to reach 4,000. Von Moos has averaged a whopping 14.6 assists per game over the last four matches and she’s on pace (13.0) to smash her own mark (12.2) for season average.

Take a bow. Von Moos is one of four seniors to be honored prior to Saturday’s match. Joining her are libero Tiffany Butac (Sr., 5-2, Pearl City, Hi./Hawaii Baptist), middle Whitney Dibble (Sr., 6-1, Reno, Nv./Galena) and outside Shelby Gihring (Sr., Kent, Wa./Kentlake). All been with the program for four seasons. Prior to their arrival, the record had sunk to 9-16 in 2002. They have made a profound impact as the Falcons have gone 73-29 since.

Given the birds a lift. Outside hitter Alyssa Given (Jr., 5-10, Salinas, Ca./Notre Dame) continued her tear with 12 kills (.391 percentage), seven digs and four aces against Saint Martin’s. Given has averaged 5.6 kills per game during the last four matches, and 4.9 kills on a .277 hitting percentage in the past 10 contests. She has also averaged 3.4 digs per game during that stretch, reaching double figures in seven of those contests, after hitting double digits in digs in just four of SPU's first 13 matches. Given remains on track to break the record for season kills average, terminating at a clip of 4.62 (the current mark is 4.12). She is No. 4 in career aces and No. 5 in kills with the rest of this season and her senior year remaining.

Wild, wild west. A new NCAA regional ranking is due out before the next matches, and it will be interesting to see whether SPU ascends from its No. 5 spot two weeks ago. Since that time, both Cal State San Bernardino and Chico State, then Nos. 1 and 2, have lost. In its previous two trips to the playoffs, Seattle Pacific has gone 0-3. Seven Pacific Region teams are among the top 25 of this week’s AVCA/CSTV coaches poll, and further proof of the region’s historical strength is the total of 14 national championships since 1981.

Quick sets. Wodrich had 10 kills, nine digs and three block assists in the victory over Saint Martin's…Butac had six digs in the win and is 53 away from the school record. She also served four aces…Seattle Pacific ranks 10th nationally in win-loss percentage (.913), 11th in assists (14.82) and 14th in kills (16.04)…Given is 18th in the country in kills (4.62) and Butac is 20th in digs (5.62)…Torii Mount (So., Gresham, Or./Gresham) had 20 digs last week. The Falcons lead the conference in kills, hitting percentage (.221) and opponent hitting percentage (.108)...The previous record for consecutive home wins was 16, set over 1999-01...The team has already secured a record for fewest season losses. The benchmark is now six (1999, 2000, 2005)... Given leads the GNAC in kills (4.62) and total points (5.26). She’s No. 8 in hitting (.254). Von Moos is the league leader in assists (13.00)...Wodrich is No. 2 in aces (0.60) and Butac third in digs (5.62). Biornstad is fourth in blocks (1.13) and fifth in hitting (.263). Gihring is No. 10 in kills (3.05)…The Falcons lead the conference in kills (16.00), opponent hitting percentage (.108) and assists (14.82)...GNAC teams are hitting only .094 against Seattle Pacific...Wodrich needs four more aces to reach the top five all-time for a season...Last season marked the first time the GNAC champion did not finish unbeaten in league play. Western Washington went 18-0 in 2001, ‘02 and ‘03, and Central Washington did so in 2004.

SPU coaches. Chris Johnson took the Falcons to their first conference championship and an NCAA tournament berth in his inaugural season as head coach, and was voted GNAC co-coach of the year. Johnson was the team’s top assistant in 2004, and earlier served as an assistant at NAIA powerhouse Westmont from 2001-03. A native of Bellevue and graduate of Interlake High School, Johnson earned his bachelor’s degree in art from Westmont in 2002. He played a total of five years at the collegiate club level, including three at Westmont. Johnson’s staff features two new aides. Gretchen Killebrew, an all-Pac-10 setter at Washington, was the Bellevue Community College head coach a year ago. Johnny Lai was an assistant at BCC for the past three years.

Tickets, please. Ticket prices for all SPU regular season home matches are $5 for general admission, with students and senior citizens $3. Group and team rates are available by phoning (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.