Sunday, November 11, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS – Western Washington finished off an incredible regular-season run Saturday, becoming the first team in GNAC history to win 20 matches and the sixth season to finish the conference season undefeated.

The Vikings were rewarded on Sunday with the No. 1 seed in the West Region and the right to host the regional tournament when the 2018 NCAA Division II Volleyball Championships will begin on Thursday at Carver Gymnasium in Bellingham, Washington. The Vikings will open their tournament in a match at 7:30 p.m. against No. 8 seed Cal State East Bay.

Western Washington will be joined by its cross-state rival, Central Washington, in the eight-team regional field. Earning the No. 6 seed, the Wildcats will open against No. 3 seed Cal State LA on Thursday at noon.

Western Washington secured the conference’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament two weeks ago thanks to the team’s 25-match win streak that began with the Vikings’ final win in the West Florida Invitational back in August. The Vikings are in their seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament and in for the 13th time in school history. Western Washington beat out Cal State San Bernardino for the No. 1 seed thanks to beating the Coyotes in five sets to open the Showcase on Aug. 30.

In its 25-match win streak, Western Washington has given up just 12 sets to opponents and only seven to conference foes. The Vikings have won seven of their last eight matches in three-set sweeps while leading the conference with a .257 hitting percentage and 2.82 blocks per set, ranking in the Division II top-30 in both categories. The Vikings enter the tournament with a 25-3 overall record.

Central Washington secured the No. 6 seed in the tournament by finishing second in the GNAC at 16-4 and enter the tournament with a 22-5 overall record. The Wildcats, in the tournament for the seventh consecutive season, are on an eight-match win streak and have won their last seven matches in three-set sweeps. Central leads the GNAC with 14.71 kills and 13.83 assists per set while ranking second to the Vikings with a .255 hitting percentage and 2.60 blocks per set and are in the Division II top-50 in all four categories.

Also in the West Regional field is No. 2 seed Cal State San Bernardino and No. 7 seed Chaminade, who will meet on Thursday at 2:30 p.m., along with No. 4 seed Cal Poly Pomona and No. 5 seed Azusa Pacific, who will square off on Thursday at 5 p.m.

Cal State San Bernardino won the CCAA Tournament, beating Cal Poly Pomona in the final. Cal State East Bay tied for first in the CCAA’s North Division while Cal State LA was third in the conference’s South Division. Azusa Pacific won the PacWest Conference with a 20-2 conference mark and 24-6 overall record while Chaminade placed third behind Biola, who is not yet eligible for NCAA postseason competition.