Complete Box Score

SEATTLE (Oct. 28) – Junior Rachel Biornstad stole the show on senior night, lifting the Falcons to a 3-1 victory over Alaska Anchorage in Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball action Saturday night at Brougham Pavilion.

The Falcons (15-0 GNAC, 23-2), ranked No. 13 in NCAA II and No. 4 in the Pacific Region, clinched at least a share of the GNAC championship, their second in a row. The victory sets up a showdown with Western Washington Thursday in Bellingham in SPU’s final regular season match.

The Vikings, who have not lost at home and have only lost in league play to SPU, improved to 13-1 with a victory over Western Oregon tonight. SPU would claim the outright GNAC title with a win. The Vikings could earn a share of the title with victories on Thursday against Seattle Pacific and next Saturday against Saint Martin’s.

Seattle Pacific got off to a blazing start and finished strong to pick up their 26th straight league, 19th straight home and 17th straight overall victories. Alaska Anchorage (2-13, 5-19) lost its sixth straight match as SPU prevailed 30-12, 23-30, 30-20, 30-19.

Biornstad (Jr., 6-0, Kent, Wa./Kentlake) led all players with 19 kills and finished with a stellar .516 hitting percentage. Angie Wodrich (Jr., 5-10, Richland, Wa.) added 14 kills and five digs in the victory as the Falcons finished a perfect 9-0 at home this year, dropping just two games along the way.

Alyssa Given (Jr., 5-10, Salinas, Ca./Notre Dame) put the Falcons in charge from the outset. After an Anchorage service error to start the match, Given served 10 straight points for the Falcons, including four service aces, to put SPU ahead 11-0. Given finished the night with eight kills, nine digs and a match-high six aces.

Kim Stolk led the Seawolves attack with nine kills and four blocks. Chelsey Jones added eight kills and six block assists in the loss.

The Falcons got strong performances from its four graduating seniors who were all honored prior to the start of the match. Whitney Dibble (Sr., 6-1, Reno, Nv./Galena) and Shelby Gihring (Sr., 5-10, Kent, Wa./Kentlake) had eight kills each. Jenna Von Moos (Sr., 5-10, Stanwood, Wa.), who one match earlier become SPU’s all-time assists leader, led all players with 48 assists to go along with 12 digs. Tiffany Butac (Sr., 5-2, Pearl City, Hi./Hawaii Baptist) chipped in with seven digs.

The Falcons hit .260 as a team and held Anchorage to just .067, including negative .250 in the first game. The Falcons also held the Seawolves to just two kills in the opening frame and enjoyed a 60-34 advantage for the match.

The Falcons wrap up the regular season with the GNAC title-deciding match Thursday at Western Washington at 7:00 p.m. The Falcons will then await the announcement of the eight-team Pacific Region field as part of the 64-team NCAA II tournament.

Seattle Pacific def. Alaska Anchorage 30-12,23-30,30-20,30-19
Alaska Anchorage (2-13, 5-19) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Stolk,Kim 9-0-4; Jones,Chelsey 8-0-6; Poasa,Paepaetele 6-1-1; Cooper,Brenda 5-0-3; Kahalehau,Tehane 5-0-3; Morehouse,Jessica 1-0-3; Knecht,Rachael 0-1-0; Totals 34-2-10.5. (Assists) - Kahalehau,Tehane 25. (Dig leaders) - Kahalehau,Tehane 13; Poasa,Paepaetele 10; Koizumi,Meghan 8; Negron,Cristal 8
Seattle Pacific (15-0, 23-2) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Biornstad,Rachel 19-0-2; Wodrich,Angie 14-1-2; Given,Alyssa 8-6-0; Gihring,Shelby 8-2-1; Dibble,Whitney 8-1-1; Von Moos,Jenna 2-2-0; Mount,Torii 1-0-0; Totals 60-12-4.0. (Assists) - Von Moos,Jenna 48. (Dig leaders) - Mount,Torii 13; Von Moos,Jenna 12; Given,Alyssa 9
Site: Seattle (Brougham Pavilion). Date: Oct 28, 2006. Attend: 173. Time: 1:45. Referees: Ami Filimaua, Steve Gustafson.