The Western Washington University volleyball team had five players selected to the WWU Invitational All-Tournament Team following a perfect 3-0 performance in the five-team team tournament over the Labor Day weekend on WECU Court in Carver Gym.
The No. 14 nationally-ranked Vikings earned recorded a pair of four-set wins over Chaminade and Sonoma State, and a five-set thriller over No. 11 MSU Denver.
WWU’s solid team performance included leading the tournament field averaging 3.27 blocks per set and holding opponents to a .131 hitting percentage.
The Vikings five all-tournament players, as voted on by members of the gameday staff crew, was highlighted by sophomore setter Malia Aleaga being selected as the Most Outstanding player. Aleaga, a Third Team All-American as a redshirt freshman in 2019, led the tournament averaging 9.38 assists per set and ran a balanced offense that featured five players averaging at least 1.50 kills per set (four with 2.00 per set).
Junior outside hitter Gabby Gunterman recorded a pair of double-doubles while averaging 2.62 kills and 3.85 digs per set in the three matches. She capped her tournament performance with 16 kills and 19 digs in a 3-1 win over Chaminade. Gunterman also led the team with seven service aces, ranking second in the tournament with 0.54 aces per set.
Sophomore outside hitter Calley Heilborn tallied a double-double in all three matches, averaging 2.92 kills, 3.69 digs and 0.85 blocks per set. She set a career high with 26 digs in the tournament finale vs. Chaminade and finished second in the tournament averaging 3.65 points per set.
Junior middle Olivia Fairchild recorded a tournament-high 23 total blocks (18 block assists, 5 block solo) while averaging 1.77 blocks per set. Fairchild also had the third-highest hitting percentage at .328 while averaging 2.00 kills per set.
Junior pin hitter Tess Biscup rounded out the all-tournament selections for the Vikings averaging 2.00 kills per set on a .260 hitting percentage, and also contributed 12 total blocks.
Here is a look at the full WWU Invitational All-Tournament team:
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER
Malia Aleaga, Western Washington
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Gabby Gunterman, Western Washington
Olivia Fairchild, Western Washington
Calley Heilborn, Western Washington
Tess Biscup, Western Washington
Greta Corti, Chaminade
Anna Dalla Vecchia, Chaminade
Alexia Byrnes, Chaminade
Rylee Hladky, MSU Denver
Avaline Lai, MSU Denver
Jessa Megenhardt, MSU Denver
Marianna Payne, Central Washington
Tia Andaya, Central Washington
Kiana Richardson, Sonoma State
