Monday, October 7, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. - Western Washington, which  has won 10 of its 12 matches by 3-0 margins and has lost just four sets in 12 starts, is ranked seventh in this week’s AVCA Division II national poll.

The Vikings are the second highest ranked West Region team in the poll.  Defending West Region champion BYU-Hawaii is ranked fifth.  Other West Region teams ranked include UC San Diego (11th), Sonoma State (12th), Cal State San Bernardino (16th) and Fresno Pacific (22nd).  Concordia St. Paul is ranked No. 1.

Alaska Anchorage is among "others receiving votes" and is 33rd overall. 

The Vikings are also among the Top 10 ranked teams in this week's NCAA Division II national statistical report.

WWU ranks third in hitting percentage (.306) and ninth in kills (14.39).  They are also ranked 11th in assists (13.29) and 20th in digs (18.05).

Individually WWU middle blockers Kayla Erickson and Emily Boerger rank 1-2 in hitting percentage with marks of .461 and .443.  Both players are on pace to smash the GNAC single season record of .425 set by Krissi Kemper of Western Oregon last year.

Setter Taylor Dillard has played a big role in those percentages and ranks eighth nationally in assists (11.39).  Libero Samantha Hutchinson, meanwhile, has led the Viking defense and ranks second nationally in digs with a 7.06 percentage.

Also ranked in the Top 10 this week is Andrea Terpstra of Northwest Nazarene, seventh in blocks (1.33); Nikki Lowell of Seattle Pacific, eighth in blocks (1.31)and Jodi Huddleston of Alaska Anchorage, ninth in blocks (1.28).

STATS, ETC: Western Washington has won 16 consecutive home matches and has posted a 116-12 home record since the beginning of the 2000 season, the year prior to the formation of the GNAC.  The Vikings have a .117 opponent hitting percentage.  The GNAC record for lowest opponent percentage is .114 by Seattle Pacific in 2006.

NCAA NATIONAL STATISTICS (Through Oct. 6): Individuals (Top 30): Points – 22. Sam Harthun, UAF, 4.47; 25. Andrea Terpstra, NNU, 4.45; 29. Kayla Erickson, WWU, 4.32. Kills – 23. Sam Harthun, UAF, 3.89.  Hitting Percentage – 1. Kayla Erickson, WWU, .461; 2. Emily Boerger, WWU, .443. Assists – 8. Taylor Dillard, WWU, 11.39; 23. Catie Fry, CWU, 10.81.  Blocks – 7. Andrea Terpstra, NNU, 1.33; 8. Nikki Lowell, SPU, 1.31; 9. Jodi Huddleston, UAA, 1.28; 17. Becky Blees, WOU, 1.24; 28. Hannah Deede, WOU, 1.16; 30. Emily Boerger, WWU, 1.16.  Digs – 2. Samantha Hutchinson, WWU, 7.06; 13. Kaely Kight, CWU, 5.72.  Team (Top 30): Kills – 9. Western Washington 14.39.  Hitting Percentage – 3. Western Washington .306.  Assists – 11. Western Washington 13.29.  Blocks – 2. Seattle Pacific 2.69; 15. Northwest Nazarene 2.38; 24. Alaska Anchorage 2.33; 25. Western Washington 2.33. Digs – 20. Western Washington 18.05; 21. Northwest Nazarene 18.02.

Alaska Anchorage, Western Washington On Win Streaks

First-place Alaska Anchorage (12-6, 6-0) takes a six-match win streak into a Saturday road match at Alaska Fairbanks (3-14, 2-4), while Western Washington (11-1, 4-0) will risk its four-match win streak Thursday when it travels to Lacey to take on Saint Martin's (5-12, 1-4).

Thursday's schedule also features three other contests as Seattle Pacific (7-6, 3-2) visits Central Washington (6-8, 2-4), MSU Billings (3-10, 1-4) plays at Northwest Nazarene (8-4, 4-2) and Simon Fraser (6-4, 1-3) heads south to Western Oregon (5-10, 2-3).

Matches on Saturday in addition to the UAA/UAF contests include MSU Billings at Central Washington, Seattle Pacific at Northwest Nazarene, Simon Fraser at Saint Martin's and Western Washington at Western Oregon.

GNAC Red Lion Players of the Week 

Offense – Keri Knight, Alaska Fairbanks (OH, 5-9, Sr., Arvada, CO) and Kristyn Ross, Saint Martin’s (OH, 5-10, Jr., Olympia, WA – Capital) ... Knight had 26 kills and hit for a .357 percentage as the Nanooks earned a home split, defeating Western Oregon for the first time since 2009 and for the first time in Fairbanks since 2006.  Over her last eight matches, Knight has raised her season attack percentage 125 points (from .066 to .193) ... Ross led Saint Martin’s to its first conference road victory since early in the 2012 season as she tallied 26 kills in a pair of contests, including 15 in a 3-0 win at Fairbanks. She also had a team-high three service aces. 

Defense – Emily Boerger, Western Washington (MB, 6-1, Sr., Marysville, WA – Marysville-Pilchuck) had a team-high nine blocks as the Vikings held Northwest Nazarene and Central Washington to a combined .022 attack percentage in 3-0 victories.  Boerger also had 19 kills and hit for a .483 percentage in the two wins.  

Honorable Mention – Elayna Rice, Northwest Nazarene; Kaitlyn Tuholski, Northwest Nazarene; Maureen Sabado, Alaska Anchorage; Jodi Huddleston, Alaska Anchorage; Kelsey Robinson, Simon Fraser.