Wednesday, September 19, 2018

WESTERN WASHINGTON MOVES INTO DRIVER’S SEAT: If anyone had any doubts about whether or not Western Washington would continue to perform at a high level in 2018, those should be put to rest.

The Vikings have cruised since dropping their first three matches of the season at the West Florida Invitation. They have nine straight since that time and finished the second weekend of GNAC play as the only undefeated team in conference play thanks to a pair of three-set sweeps at Northwest Nazarene and Central Washington.

Ranked No. 8 in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll, all eight of the Vikings non-conference matches were against teams ranked or receiving votes in the poll. Those first three losses, as a matter of fact, all came against top-25 teams.

Western Washington is hitting .278 in conference matches and is averaging 3.15 blocks per set. In the overall stats, the Vikings are ranked fourth in Division II with 2.79 blocks per set, 34th with a .241 hitting percentage and 37th with 13.58 kills per set.

AND AS FAR AS SECOND GOES...: Behind Western Washington sits four teams that have all performed quite well over the first two weeks of the season. That includes a pair of surprises.

Seattle Pacific currently sits in second place at 4-1 after a trio of home victories, all of which came in three sets. The Falcons posted sweeps of Western Oregon on Thursday, Concordia on Saturday and Saint Martin’s on Tuesday. The victory over the Saints also evened the Falcons’ overall record at 6-6.

Central Washington dropped to 3-1 in GNAC play with a loss to Western Washington on Saturday that drew over 2,100 fans to Nicholson Pavilion. Concordia, the other team to get through the first weekend undefeated, dropped to 3-1 thanks to the Saturday loss at Seattle Pacific.

Alaska Anchorage improved to 3-1 on the year with a sweep of Alaska and Montana State Billings. The Seawolves also posted a five-set win over No. 6 (NAIA) ranked Rocky Mountain on Thursday in the team’s final non-conference match of the season.

STEPHENS PICKS UP NATIONAL HONORS: Less than a month into her college career and a day after picking up her first GNAC Volleyball Player of the Week award, Alaska Anchorage freshman middle blocker Eve Stephens has been named the Sports Imports/AVCA Division II National Player of the Week.

Stephens played a key role in three wins for the Seawolves last week, finishing with 55 kills, eight blocks and a .427 hitting percentage. The victories allowed the Seawolves to improve to 10-2 overall and 3-1 in GNAC play.

In Tuesday’s four-set win over Alaska, Stephens racked up 21 kills and produced a .656 hitting percentage, which ranks as the No. 6 hitting percentage in a match in GNAC history (with a minimum 18 kills).

At Rocky Mountain on Thursday, Stephens led the Seawolves with 23 kills along with four blocks in the five-set win over the No. 6 (NAIA) ranked Battlin’ Bears. Seven of those kills came in the fifth set. Stephens finished the road trip with 11 kills and two blocks in a three-set sweep at Montana State Billings.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Eve Stephens, Alaska Anchorage
MB • 6-1 • Freshman • Palmer, Alaska

Stephens led Alaska Anchorage to a trio of wins with 55 kills and a .427 hitting percentage. She led the Seawolves with 21 kills in Tuesday’s four-set win over Alaska. Her .656 hitting percentage in the match is among the best in GNAC history. Stephens finished with 23 kills in Thursday’s victory at Rocky Mountain and had 11 kills on Friday at Montana State Billings, including the go-ahead kill to break the 25-25 tie in the third set.

Also Nominated: Makala Swart (Central Washington), Livia Standberg (Concordia), Megan Vernoy (Saint Martin’s), Tessa May (Simon Fraser), Mariella Vandenkooy (Western Oregon), Michaela Hall (Western Washington).

DEFENSIVE
Shaun Crespi, Seattle Pacific
MB • 6-2 • Senior • Camarillo, Calif.

Crespi finished with 11 blocks to go along with 11 kills as the Falcons swept the Oregon schools. She finished with seven blocks and two kills in a three-set sweep of Western Oregon on Thursday and then finished with four blocks and nine kills in a sweep of Concordia on Saturday.

Also Nominated: Anjoilyn Vreeland (Alaska Anchorage), Kyla Morgan (Central Washington), Elyssa Rose (Concordia), Izela Alvarez (Montana State Billings), Courtney Misner (Saint Martin’s), Aubrey Stephens (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• After losing at Alaska Anchorage on Tuesday, Alaska snapped a seven-match losing streak Saturday with a three-set sweep at Montana State Billings.

• Sophomore outside hitter Tatum Upchurch led the Nanooks with 23 kills in the two matches, averaging 3.29 kills per set. She paced the offense with 15 kills and 13 digs at UAA and added eight kills and 12 digs at Montana State Billings. Upchurch enters the week averaging 3.13 kills and 2.67 digs per set.

• Freshman libero Makena Overbey posted another solid defensive week with 33 digs and three aces in the two matches. She finished with 16 digs, four assists and three aces against Alaska Anchorage and added 17 digs and five assists as MSUB. Overbey is third in the GNAC and 48th in Division II with 5.20 digs per set.

• Sophomore outside hitter Lahra Weber added 21 kills in the two matches, topped by her double-double of 12 kills and 14 digs at Alaska Anchorage. Weber enters the week fifth in GNAC with 3.32 kills per set.

• Alaska enters the week fifth in the GNAC with 11.98 kills and 11.41 assists per set with a .164 hitting percentage.

• Alaska continues a three-match road trip on Thursday at Western Washington and Saturday at Simon Fraser.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage swept all three matches last week. After defeating in-state rival in four sets on Tuesday, the Seawolves outlasted No. 6 (NAIA) ranked Rocky Mountain in five sets on Thursday and took a three-set sweep at Montana State Billings on Friday.

• Freshman middle blocker Eve Stephens was named both the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week and the Sports Imports/AVCA Division II Player of the Week after she finished with 55 kills and a .427 hitting percentage in the three matches. She led the Seawolves with 21 kills against Alaska and her .656 hitting percentage is No. 6 on the GNAC single-match list (minimum 18 kills). Stephens finished with 23 kills in Thursday’s victory at Rocky Mountain and had 11 kills on Friday at Montana State Billings, including the go-ahead kill to break the 25-25 tie in the third set. Stephens enters the week ranked fifth in the GNAC with her .334 hitting percentage while averaging 3.04 kills per set.

• Senior outside hitter Chrisalyn Johnson added 39 kills in the three matches. She had a double-double of 12 kills and 14 digs against Alaska and added another double-double of 14 kills and 17 digs at Rocky Mountain before finishing with 13 kills at MSUB. Johnson enters the week averaging 2.94 kills per set.

• Senior middle blocker Tara Melton added 14 blocks in the three matches. She had four blocks against Alaska and finished with six blocks to go along with 11 kills at Rocky Mountain. Melton is third in the GNAC and 16th in Division II with 1.21 blocks per set.

• Alaska Anchorage is one of three GNAC teams in the Division II top-10 in blocks, ranking 10th with 2.47 blocks per set. In addition to Melton, sophomore middle blocker Vera Pluharova is averaging 1.09 blocks per set and Stephens is averaging 0.91 per set.

• Alaska Anchorage leads the GNAC with a .141 hitting percentage. The Seawolves are averaging 12.94 kills and 17.53 digs per set.

• The Seawolves face two significant road challenges again this week, playing at Simon Fraser on Thursday and at Western Washington on Saturday.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington split a pair of home contests, knocking off Simon Fraser in four sets on Thursday before losing Saturday’s rivalry match to Western Washington in three sets.

• The match between Central Washington and Western Washington drew 2,109 fans to Nicholson Pavilion, the fourth largest single-match crowd in conference history and the largest outside of Alaska Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center.

• Sophomore Makala Swart once again led the Wildcats’ offense with 30 kills and 26 digs in the two matches. She posted a double-double of 16 kills and 18 digs against Simon Fraser and finished with 14 kills against Western Washington. Swart is second in the GNAC and 33rd in Division II with 3.90 kills per set and is also 33rd in Division II with 4.33 points per set.

• Senior middle blocker Shelby Mauritson had double-doubles in both matches as she finished with 27 kills and 24 digs. She finished with 16 kills and 13 digs against Simon Fraser and finished with 11 kills and 11 digs against Western Washington. Mauritson enters the week third in the GNAC and 40th in Division II with 3.38 kills per set.

• Sophomore middle blocker Julia Mellander added 12 blocks, notching six blocks in both matches. She enters the week second in the GNAC and 15th in Division II with 1.24 blocks per set. As a team, Central Washington is third in the GNAC and ninth in Division II with 2.47 blocks per set. In addition to Mellander, senior middle blocker Sarah Joffs is tied for fourth in the GNAC and 23rd in Division II with 1.16 blocks per set.

• Central Washington leads the GNAC and is 10th in Division II with 14.30 kills per set. The Wildcats also lead the league and rank 13th in Division II with 13.30 assists per set. They also lead the GNAC and rank fifth in Division II with 20.08 digs per set.

• Central Washington continues to receive votes in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25 with 27 points.

• Central Washington is in Oregon for its next two matches, playing at Western Oregon on Thursday and at Concordia on Saturday.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia split road matches to emerge with a 3-1 conference mark. The Cavaliers beat Saint Martin’s in four sets before falling to Seattle Pacific in three sets.

• Senior outside hitter Livia Strandberg led the Cavaliers with 22 kills last week. She came off the finish for 12 kills and a .296 hitting percentage at Saint Martin’s and added a 10-kill performance at Seattle Pacific. Strandberg has played in eight matches this season and is averaging 2.17 kills per set.

• Sophomore middle blocker Elyssa Rose added 10 blocks in the two matches, topped by her seven blocks against Saint Martin’s. Rose is tied for sixth in the GNAC and 31st in Division II with 1.13 blocks per set while also averaging 1.87 kills per set.

• Freshman libero Callie Wilkins posted another solid defensive week with 34 digs in the two matches. She finished with 16 digs at Saint Martin’s and 18 digs at Seattle Pacific. Wilkins continues to lead the GNAC and is 22nd in Division II with 5.64 digs per set.

• Concordia is averaging 11.77 kills per set and is fourth in the GNAC and 38th in Division II with 17.92 digs per set. The Cavaliers are also fourth in the GNAC with a .168 opponent hitting percentage.

• Concordia returns home for a pair of matches, hosting Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings dropped a pair of three-set home matches to the Alaska schools, falling to Alaska Anchorage on Friday and to Alaska on Saturday. The Yellowjackets opened the week with a near upset, falling to No. 6 (NAIA) Rocky Mountain in five sets.

• Sophomore outside hitter Maddi Vigil led the Yellowjackets in the weekend GNAC matches with 19 kills. She had a double-double of 10 kills and 13 digs against Alaska Anchorage and added nine kills and 11 digs against Alaska. In Tuesday’s match at Rocky Mountain, Vigil came up with a double-double of 19 kills and 17 digs. Vigil leads the Yellowjackets with 2.84 kills per set.

• Sophomore outside hitter Bayli Monck finished with 17 kills and 24 digs in the two matches, led by her nine kills and 11 digs against Alaska. She also had nine kills and 10 digs against Rocky Mountain. Freshman outside hitter Skylar Reed had a career night at Rocky Mountain as she finished with 20 kills and a .340 hitting percentage.

• Senior middle blocker Miranda McConnell finished with 12 kills, a .276 hitting percentage and nine blocks in the two weekend matches, paced by her nine kills and three blocks against Alaska Anchorage.

• Montana State Billings ranks third in the GNAC and 47th in Division II with 1.76 aces per set. The Yellowjackets are also 44th in Division II with 89 total aces. Montana State Billings enters the week averaging 11.66 kills and 14.88 digs per set and is fifth in the GNAC with a .172 hitting percentage.

• The Yellowjackets are on the road for their next two matches, playing at Seattle Pacific on Thursday and at Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• The struggles continue for a young Northwest Nazarene team, which took three-set losses to Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday.

• Senior outside hitter Cami Heninger led the Nighthawks with 15 kills and 21 digs in the two matches. She finished with eight kills and 14 digs against Western Washington and led the Nighthawks with seven kills against Simon Fraser. Heninger enters the week averaging 2.52 kills and 3.50 digs per set.

• Junior outside hitter Kayla Sale added 14 kills and 23 digs in the two matches. She led NNU with nine kills and 10 digs against Western Washington and then finished with five kills and 13 digs against Simon Fraser. Sale is averaging 1.02 kills and 3.50 digs per set.

• Senior libero Shayli Siegfreid finished with 27 digs last week, finishing with 14 digs against Western Washington and 13 against Simon Fraser. Siegfreid enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC with 4.90 digs per set.

• Northwest Nazarene is averaging 11.14 kills and 17.45 digs per set with a .141 hitting percentage.

• Northwest Nazarene makes the Oregon road trip this weekend, playing at Concordia on Thursday and at Western Oregon on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s is still looking for its first GNAC win of the season. The Saints last a pair of weekend matches to Concordia on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday, both in four sets, and lost in a three-set sweep at Seattle Pacific on Tuesday.

• Senior outside hitter Megan Vernoy led the Saints in the weekend matches with 26 kills and seven aces. She finsihed with 12 kills and four aces against Concordia and led all players with 17 kills and a .282 hitting percentage against Western Oregon. Vernoy is tied for sixth in the GNAC with 3.20 kills per set and seventh with 3.74 points per set.

• Junior outside hitter Ililani Kamaka led the Saints at Seattle Pacific with eight kills and seven digs. She also came up with five service aces against Western Oregon on Saturday. Kamaka is averaging 2.34 kills and 0.34 aces per set.

• Freshman outside hitter Annika Briggs contributed 12 blocks in the weekend matches, finishing with seven against Concordia and five against Western Oregon. She also had two blocks at Seattle Pacific. Briggs leads SMU with an average of 0.71 blocks per set.

• Saint Martin’s enters the week averaging 10.95 kills and 15.12 digs per set with a .153 hitting percentage. The Saints are second in the GNAC with 1.80 aces per set.

• Saint Martin’s wraps up the week at home on Saturday, hosting Montana State Billings.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific is on a four-match win streak and sits at 4-1 in conference play thanks to wins over Western Oregon on Thursday, Concordia on Saturday and Saint Martin’s on Tuesday, all in three sets.

• Of the Falcons’ six wins this season, five have come in three-set sweeps.

• Senior middle blocker Shaun Crespi was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after she finished with 11 blocks to go along with 11 kills in the weekend matches. She finished with seven blocks and two kills against Western Oregon four blocks and nine kills against Concordia. Crespi then added six kills and seven blocks against Saint Martin’s. Crespi is ninth in the GNAC with 1.03 blocks per set while also averaging 1.68 kills per set.

• Junior outside hitter Gabby Oddo led the Falcons offensively in the weekend matches with 22 kills. Her week was paced by a 12-kill, nine-dig effort against Western Oregon. She then led all players with 12 kills and 11 digs against Saint Martin’s. Oddo is tied for sixth in the GNAC with 3.20 kills per set and is also sixth with her 3.76 points per set.

• Seattle Pacific had 18 service aces over the weekend and a total of 22 over the last three matches. Senior opposite Hailey Gaines had five aces during that span, all against Concordia, while senior setter Symone Tran had three of her four against Western Oregon. The Falcons currently rank fourth in the GNAC with 1.66 aces per set.

• Seattle Pacific enters the week averaging 11.46 kills and 16.49 digs per set with a .142 hitting percentage.

• Seattle Pacific wraps up a four-match home stand on Thursday against Montana State Billings.

SIMON FRASER
• The Clan succeeded in a split on the road. After taking a four-set loss at Central Washington on Thursday, the Clan beat Northwest Nazarene.

• Junior outside hitter Kirsten Pinkney led Simon Fraser with 27 kills in the two matches. She shared leading honors against Central Washington with 16 kills and then came off the bench to add 11 kills at Northwest Nazarene. Pinkney enters the week averaging 2.97 kills per set.

• Senior middle blocker Tessa May finished with 24 kills over the week, led by her 16 kills and .368 hitting percentage at Central Washington. May is third in the GNAC with her .342 hitting percentage and is ninth with 3.07 kills per set.

• Senior libero Jayme Bratsberg finished with 34 digs in the two matches. She finished with 18 digs and a service ace against Central Washington and added 16 against Northwest Nazarene. Bratsberg enters the week averaging 4.42 digs per set.

• Sophomore setter Julia Tays finished with 84 assists in the two matches, averaging 12 assists per set. Her week was topped by her double-double of 47 assists and 15 digs against Central Washington. Tays is third in the GNAC and 33rd in Division II with 10.68 assists per set.

• Simon Fraser is second in the GNAC and 24th in Division II with 12.97 assists per set. The Clan is also second in the GNAC and 29th in Division II with 13.68 kills per set while amassing a .229 hitting percentage.

• The Clan returns to Burnaby Mountain to host Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and Alaska on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon split again in the second week of GNAC play, falling in three sets at Seattle Pacific on Thursday before beating Saint Martin’s in four sets on Saturday.

• Senior opposite Mariella Vandenkooy finished with 15 kills and 14 digs to lead the Wolves. After registering just three kills and three digs at Seattle Pacific, she roared to life with a double-double of 12 kills and 11 digs at Saint Martin’s Vandenkooy is averaging 2.67 kills and 2.87 digs per set, lead WOU in both categories.

• Sophomore outside hitter Sianna DeCarli also had 15 kills to go along with seven blocks in the two matches. Her best performance came at Saint Martin’s where she finished with nine kills and four blocks. DeCarli is averaging 1.77 kills per set with a .203 hitting percentage.

• Junior outside hitter Morgan Haskett came up with 10 blocks in the two matches, finishing with five in each match. Haskett enters the week ranked eighth in the GNAC and 37th in Division II with 1.12 blocks per set.

• Western Oregon is averaging 11.23 kills and 15.25 digs per set with a .163 hitting percentage. The Wolves lead the GNAC and rank 40th in Division II with 1.88 aces per set. Senior setter Leila Holt leads the GNAC and is 33rd in Division II with 0.53 aces per set.

• Western Oregon returns home for two matches, hosting Central Washington on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• The Vikings continue to roll, running their win streak to nine matches with three-set sweeps at Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday.

• The victories moved Western Washington to No. 8 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25. It is the 85th consecutive poll that the Vikings have been ranked in dating back to the first regular-season poll of the 2012 season.

• Senior middle blocker Michaela Hall led Western Washington with 25 kills, nine blocks and a .404 hitting percentage in the two matches. She finished with 10 kills, four blocks and a .304 percentage at Northwest Nazarene and then led all players with 15 kills, four blocks and a .483 hitting percentage at Central Washington. Hall is averaging 2.42 kills per set and is ranked ninth in the GNAC with 1.09 blocks per set.

• Senior outside hitter Abby Phelps added 24 kills and averaged four kills per set last week. She led all players with a double-double of 15 kills and 12 digs at Northwest Nazarene. She then added nine kills and 14 digs at Central Washington. Phelps, the GNAC Preseason Player of the Year, leads the GNAC and is 24th in Division II with 4.05 kills per set. She also ranks seventh in Division II with 12.86 attacks per set and 25th with 4.53 points per set.

• Senior setter Brette Boesel finished with 81 assists in just the six sets, averaging 13.50 assists per set. Her totals included 41 assists and five digs at Northwest Nazarene and a double-double of 40 assists and 10 digs at Central Washington. Boesel is second in the GNAC and 12th in Division II with 11.40 assists per set.

• Western Washington enters the week leading the GNAC with a .241 hitting percentage. They also lead the GNAC and rank fourth in Division II with 2.79 blocks per set. The Vikings are 29th in Division II with 18.35 digs per set and 49th with 12.44 assists per set.

• Western Washington will try to make the win streak a double-digit one at home this week, hosting Alaska on Thursday and Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.