Complete Weekly Release PDF Version

All Press Releases

Scene shifts north. It’s a big state, and the Seattle Pacific University volleyball team will move 350 miles closer to home without leaving California this weekend for the Otter Invitational in Seaside. There, the 20th-ranked Falcons (3-1) will play four times Friday and Saturday (Aug. 31-Sept. 1) before coming back home to begin Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. SPU meets Saginaw Valley State (3-1) and host Cal State Monterey Bay (0-4) the opening day and top-ranked Tampa (2-1) and Notre Dame de Namur (1-3) Saturday. The GNAC opener is Sept. 6 versus Seattle University.

Homecoming’s a Given. This weekend is a homecoming for the Falcons’ record-setting outside, Alyssa Given (Sr., Salinas, Ca./Notre Dame). She will be playing 10 miles from her hometown, and hopefully her friends and relatives will find the short trip well worthwhile. Given has gotten off to a strong start, leading SPU to its biggest win in two seasons. She smacked down 22 kills, including the final two points, in the five-game upset of No. 4 UC San Diego. Given owns the school and GNAC records for single match kills (32) and total points. She totaled 66 kills 22 digs, 11 blocks and an impressive 14 aces in the first week.

Saturday showdown. It’s happened only once before, and Saturday morning the Falcons get another shot at beating the No. 1 team in the land. So far, they have seen two of the best four teams in the nation, and come away with a split. When SPU meets defending national champion Tampa it will be an opportunity to replicate Coach Chris Johnson’s first signature win, a home upset of then-No. 1 Nebraska-Kearney in 2005.

Biggest since. The program’s biggest win in the two years since came last week in San Bernardino. In a result which will significantly affect the early-season national and regional rankings, SPU beat UCSD in five games. The Falcons will likely float up from their preseason ranking of No. 20 in the first weekly coaches poll Sept. 4. Prior to beating the defending regional champion Tritons, Seattle Pacific had dropped five straight matches to CCAA opponents, including exits in each of the last two NCAA tournaments. Given cinched a place on the Coyote Classic all-tournament team with by cracking five of her kills in the deciding fifth game.

Last week’s scores:

• at Cal State San Bernardino def. SPU 30-21, 30-20, 30-20
• SPU def. UC San Diego 26-30, 30-20, 32-30, 26-30, 15-9
• SPU def. Fort Lewis 30-21, 30-23, 21-30, 30-25
• SPU def. Cal State Dominguez Hills 30-25, 30-13, 26-30, 30-28

Baptism by fire. Johnson did not hesitate to have his freshmen tested by fire in their first collegiate outings. Setter Joelle Perez (Fr., Vancouver, Wa./Heritage) proved to be a capable heir to All-American Jenna Von Moos. Perez not only ran the offense, but was third on the team in digs (31) and totaled seven blocks and seven aces. Nikki Osuna (Fr., Bellflower, Ca./Los Alamitos) served seven aces and made 27 digs. Courtney Alberi (Fr., Castaic, Ca./Valencia), who also made her debut within driving distance of her hometown, led the club in attacking percentage (.333) and Sarah Risser (Fr., Santa Barbara, Ca./Dos Pueblos), yet another Californian, contributed 17 kills and four blocks.

In a groove. Of course, not everything was rosy. Flexing its muscles at home, Cal State San Bernardino dealt SPU a season-opening sweep for the second year in a row. Rejuvenated by the UCSD match, the Falcons won four-set contests with Fort Lewis and Cal State Dominguez Hills, the former atoning for one of two regular-season losses in ‘06. Seattle Pacific out-blocked the Toros 14-6 and hit .226 against the Skyhawks.

Serving up some ‘D.’ In the three wins, the difference was most certainly Seattle Pacific’s serve/receive and net games. The Falcons nearly doubled the number of aces served by their foes (38-20) and enjoyed a nearly identical (38-20.5) advantage in blocks. Angie Wodrich (Sr., Richland, Wa.) and Robin De Jong (So., Goleta, Ca./Dos Pueblos) totaled career-highs of 10 and nine blocks, respectively, against UC San Diego. Wodrich added another nine and Rachel Biornstad (Sr., Kent, Wa./Kentlake) eight in the CSDH match. For the first four matches, Wodrich is averaging 1.38 blocks, nearly double her ‘06 season average.

Quick sets. Given needs two more aces to become No. 3 on the school’s career list, and she’s just nine behind the all-time record of 142. Given is 190 kills away from the career mark of 1249. She moved into No. 4 last week...SPU hit .183 and, after CSSB opened with a clip of .214, held opponents to an average of .145. Biornstad hit .250 on the attack...The Falcons played without injured middle Jessica Bettencourt (South Lake Tahoe, Ca.). She may be cleared to play this weekend.

Coaching Staff. Chris Johnson took the Falcons to their first conference championships, their highest national rankings and NCAA tournament berths in his first two seasons as head coach, and was twice 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. Former Central Washington star Crystal Ames joins the staff, which includes Johnny Lai and Jill Spratt.

Tickets, please. Ticket prices for all SPU regular season home games 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.