Volleyball | 9/26/2012 12:24:00 PM

VOLLEYBALL - WESTERN OREGON AT SIMON FRASER
Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012 – 7:00 p.m. – Burnaby, B.C.

LIVE VIDEO: GNAC TV (Stretch Internet)
LIVE STATS: GNAC TV (Stretch Internet)

VOLLEYBALL - WESTERN OREGON AT NO. 17 WESTERN WASHINGTON
Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012 – 7:00 p.m. – Bellingham, Wash.

LIVE VIDEO: GNAC TV (Stretch Internet)
LIVE STATS: GNAC TV (Stretch Internet)

MONMOUTH, Ore. – Looking for its fifth-straight win, the Western Oregon volleyball team returns to action this week for a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference contests as the Wolves travel to Burnaby, B.C., to face Simon Fraser on Thursday, Sept. 27, at 7:00 p.m. before a meeting with No. 17 Western Washington on Saturday, Sept. 29, at 7:00 p.m. in Bellingham, Wash.

The Wolves enter the week with a mark of 9-2 on the season and lead the league with a 2-0 conference record after WOU swept matches from Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Fairbanks last week. Danielle Reese led the way in the victories as she recorded back-tp-back double-doubles. The senior had 13 kills and 12 digs in a win over the Seawolves and followed with 14 kills and 12 digs in win over the Nanooks.

Becky Blees was impressive as well during the sweeps as the junior middle-blocker earned GNAC Defensive Player of the Week honors with nine blocks in the two matches.

The Wolves, who are receiving votes in the national polls, are led on the attack side by Reese, who leads the team and ranks fifth in the league with 3.32 kills per set. Krissi Kemper leads the league with a .390 hitting percentage as WOU ranks third in the league with a .227 hitting percentage.

On the defensive side, WOU has continued to be impressive as the Wolves lead the league by holding opponents to just a .129 hitting percentage. The Wolves lead the league and rank No. 15 in the country with 2.46 blocks per set as Blees ranks first in the conference with 1.28 blocks per set.

Simon Fraser faces the Wolves with a record of 2-8 overall, 0-4 in league play as the Clan has lost eight straight after a pair of wins to open the season. Jessica Young leads SFU with 95 kills while Alanna Chan has recorded 129 digs for the Clan.

Nationally-ranked WWU enters the week with a 10-2 overall mark, 3-1 in league play, after defeating Northwest Nazarene last week before falling in four sets to Central Washington. Marlayna Geary leads the team with 194 kills while Laurie Yearout has posted 553 assists for the Vikings.

Last season, WOU swept a pair of matches from Simon Fraser and dropped a pair of five-set matches to the Vikings. The Wolves lead the all-time series with the Clan, 17-0; however, the Vikings hold a 24-12 all-time edge against WOU and have won six straight in the series.

Following the matches, WOU will return home to face Seattle Pacific on Thursday, Oct. 4, at 7:00 p.m.