Wednesday, November 6, 2013
PORTLAND, Ore. - Led by Alaska Anchorage, four Great Northwest Athletic Conference teams are ranked in the Top 10 in the first official NCAA West Regional poll of the 2013 season.
The poll will eventually determine which five teams join the GNAC, PacWest and CCAA champions, which receive automatic berths, in December's regionals.
The Seawolves, who lead Western Washington by one-half match in the GNAC standings, are ranked fifth, just ahead of the Vikings (6th), Central Washington (7th) and Northwest Nazarene (8th). If those rankings hold the next three weeks, all four teams could advance to the regional tournament.
UC San Diego, which has 3-0 wins over both Central Washington and unranked Seattle Pacific, is the No. 1 ranked team in the poll, giving it the inside track to host the regional.
In this week's AVCA national poll, Western Washington is the only GNAC team ranked. The Vikings are 10th. Alaska Anchorage is among "others receiving votes" and is 36th overall.
NCAA West Regional (Nov. 6) – 1. UC San Diego (20-3); 2. BYU-Hawaii (20-1); 3. CSU San Bernardino (18-5); 4. Sonoma State (19-4); 5. Alaska Anchorage (17-8); 6. Western Washington (17-3); 7. Central Washington (12-9); 8. Northwest Nazarene (13-6); 9. Cal State L.A. (14-9); 10. Cal Baptist (16-8). (Note: Records are versus Division II opponents).
Hutchinson Second In Digs in NCAA National Statistics
Samantha Hutchinson of Western Washington is ranked second in digs in this week's NCAA Division II national statistical report. She is averaging 6.81 per set.
She is one of three WWU players in the Top 10. Kayla Erickson of Western Washington is ranked fifth in hitting percentage (.391) after falling out of the top perch she had occupied all season. Viking setter Taylor Dillard ranks ninth in assists (11.64).
The only other Top 10 ranked player is Sam Harthun of Alaska Fairbanks, who ranks eighth in both points (4.86) and kills (4.36).
In team categories, Western Washington is ranked eighth in hitting percentage (.272) and Seattle Pacific is ninth in blocks (2.58).
NCAA NATIONAL STATISTICS (Through Nov. 3): Individuals (Top 30): Points – 8. Sam Harthun, UAF, 4.86; 22. Kayla Erickson, WWU, 4.42. Kills – 8. Sam Harthun, UAF, 4.36. Hitting Percentage – 5. Kayla Erickson, WWU, .391; 27. Emily Boerger, WWU, .350. Assists – 9. Taylor Dillard, WWU, 11.64; 28. Catie Fry, CWU, 10.65. Blocks – 14. Andrea Terpstra, NNU, 1.29; 15. Nikki Lowell, SPU, 1.28; 17. Jodi Huddleston, UAA, 1.23; 22. Kayla Erickson, WWU, 1.18; 24. Becky Blees, WOU, 1.18. Digs – 2. Samantha Hutchinson, WWU, 6.81; 14. Kaely Kight, CWU, 5.57. Team (Top 30): Kills – 15. Western Washington 14.03. Hitting Percentage – 8. Western Washington .272. Assists – 15. Western Washington 13.06. Blocks – 9. Seattle Pacific 2.58; 24. Northwest Nazarene 2.32. Digs – 9. Western Washington 18.68.
Milestones: Blees Near GNAC Blocking Assist Record
Western Oregon middle blocker Becky Blees has 365 blocking assists and needs two more to equal the GNAC career record of 367 set by Cammy Dranginis of Northwest Nazarene between 2006 and 2009.
Nikki Lowell of Seattle Pacific is in close pursuit and ranks third with 348. Lowell also ranks third in total blocks with 386, eight ahead of Blees who is fifth with 378.
Lowell also needs just 23 more kills to join the 1,000-kill club. She’ll be the 31st member.
RED LION PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Offense - Kelsey Moore, Western Washington (OH, 6-1, Jr., Bellevue, WA – Newport) had 19 kills to lead the Vikings to two road wins as they remained tied in the loss column with first place Alaska Anchorage. Moore, who was charged with just four errors in seven sets, had 12 kills in a 3-1 win at Central Washington, then added seven more in a 3-0 sweep of Northwest Nazarene.
Defense – Quinn Barker (L, 5-5, Jr., Mission Viejo, CA) had 34 digs, including 18 in a sweep of Saint Martin’s, as the Seawolves won a pair of road matches. Barker also had three aces. Her defense helped UAA limit the Saints and Western Oregon to an average of 19 points per set.
Honorable Mention - Rachel Hanses, Central Washington (OH, 5-11, So., Yakima, WA – West Valley); Katelynn Zanders, Alaska Anchorage (OH, 5-9, So., Anchorage, AK – South); Kristyn Ross, Saint Martin’s (OH, 5-10, Jr., Olympia, WA – Capital); Samantha Hutchinson, Western Washington (L, 5-7, Jr., University Place, WA – Curtis); Elayna Rice, Northwest Nazarene (MB, 6-3, So., Billings, MT); Kaitlyn Tuholski, Northwest Nazarene (OH, 5-110, Jr., Vancouver, WA – Heritage); Nikki Lowell, Seattle Pacific (MB, 5-10, Sr., Claremont, CA); Kaely Kight, Central Washington (L, 5-10, Jr., Spokane, WA – Mead).
For more GNAC volleyball news, check out the GNAC Weekly report.