By WWU sports information staff

Led by another solid performance by Kayleigh Harper and Michaela Hall, the No. 4 nationally-ranked Western Washington University volleyball team defeated Alaska Anchorage in four sets Thursday night in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at the Alaska Airlines Center.

WWU won its 18th consecutive match to improve to 18-3 overall and remains perfect in GNAC play at 13-0 with the 25-21, 23-25, 25-21, 25-19 victory over the Seawolves. In addition to the 18-match winning streak, the Vikings have also won 31 consecutive GNAC contests dating back to last season.

Alaska Anchorage falls to 16-5 overall and slips into a second-place tie in the GNAC with a 9-4 league record.

“What a tough battle with Anchorage, like it always is,” said 19th-year WWU coach Diane Flick-Williams. “They are a gritty team and tonight was a prize fight.”

The Vikings continue their Alaskan road trip on Saturday, matching up against Alaska Fairbanks at 2 p.m. The Nanooks carry a seven-match winning streak into the contest vs. the first-place Vikings after beating Simon Fraser 3-2 on Thursday night in Fairbanks.

Harper (Oak Harbor) recorded a match-high 16 kills on a .395 hitting percentage and also had thre blocks, while Hall (Centralia) added 12 kills on a .600 hitting percentage and contributed a match-high six blocks.

Senior outside hitter Abby Phelps (Manson, Chelan) recorded a 14-kill, 21-dig double-double and redshirt freshman Gabby Gunterman (Lake Stevens) had 13 kills and 4 blocks.

In addition to Phelps’ 21-dig effort, sophomore Alison Davenport (Auburn Mountainview) and junior Mae Thungc (Kentridge) each added 16 digs. Davenport also had 5 blocks and 5 kills for the solid all-around effort.