Tuesday, October 22, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. - Alaska Fairbanks outside hitter Sam Harthun climbed into the Top 10 in points in this week's NCAA Division II national statistical report.

Harthun jumped from No. 22 to No. 9 after producing 45 points in contests last week against Western Washington and Simon Fraser.  She is averaging 4.76 points per set.  She also climbed to No. 12 nationally in kills, averaging 4.23 per set.

Kayla Erickson of Western Washington, meanwhile, held on to her No. 1 ranking in hitting percentage.  She is hitting for a .428 percentage, three points better than the GNAC single-season record of .425 set last season by Krissi Kemper of Western Oregon.   WWU's Emily Boerger is ranked fifth nationally with a .398 percentage.

Other GNAC players ranked in the Top 10 include WWU's Samantha Hutchinson and Taylor Dillard and Seattle Pacific's Nikki Lowell.

Hutchinson ranks second in digs (6.72).  Dillard is 10th in assists (11.40) and Lowell ranks 10th in blocks (1.32).  Lowell also currently ranks fourth in career blocks in GNAC history with 372.

In team categories, Seattle Pacific is the highest ranked GNAC team.  The Falcons are fourth in blocks averaging 2.67.  Western Washington ranks fifth in hitting percentage (.292).

In this week's AVCA national poll, Western Washington (14-2) fell one spot to eighth after splitting two matches.  Alaska Anchorage (15-6), which has won nine straight, is among "others receiving votes".  They are 29th overall.

NCAA NATIONAL STATISTICS (Through Oct. 20): Individuals (Top 30): Points – 9. Sam Harthun, UAF, 4.76; 26. Kayla Erickson, WWU, 4.32. Kills – 12. Sam Harthun, UAF, 4.23.  Hitting Percentage – 1. Kayla Erickson, WWU, .428; 5. Emily Boerger, WWU, .398. Assists – 10. Taylor Dillard, WWU, 11.40; 26. Catie Fry, CWU, 10.67.  Blocks – 10. Nikki Lowell, SPU, 1.32; 12. Jodi Huddleston, UAA, 1.26; 14. Andrea Terpstra, NNU, 1.25; 17. Becky Blees, WOU, 1.19; 28. Kayla Erickson, WWU, 1.15; 29. Jackie Arnold, SPU, 1.14.  Digs – 2. Samantha Hutchinson, WWU, 6.72; 15. Kaely Kight, CWU, 5.56.  Team (Top 30): Kills – 12. Western Washington 14.04.  Hitting Percentage – 5. Western Washington .292.  Assists – 13. Western Washington 12.98.  Blocks – 4. Seattle Pacific 2.67; 20. Northwest Nazarene 2.38; 27. Western Washington 2.33. Digs – 22. Western Washington 18.00.

GNAC Red Lion Players of the Week

Offense -  Katelynn Zanders, Alaska Anchorage (OH, 5-9, So., Anchorage, AK - South) and Sam Harthun, Alaska Fairbanks (OH, 6-0, So., Oregon City, OR) ... Zanders had 29 kills, including 22 in Saturday’s five-set win over Western Washington, as the Seawolves snapped the Vikings’ 17-match home win streak. Zanders hit .354 against WWU, which on the season is holding opponents to a .119 average.  She also had 23 digs and five blocks in UAA’s two road victories ... Harthun had a dominating performance despite two 3-0 losses, totaling 44 kills and 10 digs and hitting for a .356 percentage.  Her 26 kills Saturday at Simon Fraser was just one kill  was one off the GNAC record for most kills in a three-set match and is the most in the GNAC this fall in a match of any length. She also had a match-high 18 kills versus Western Washington.

Defense – Larissa Hamilton, Saint Martin’s (MB, 6-0, Fr., Vancouver, WA - Skyview) and Jackie Arnold, Seattle Pacific (MB, 5-11, So., Anaheim, CA – Canyon) ... Hamilton had 12 blocks in six sets and hit for a .444 percentage (10-2-18) as the Saints split two matches earning their third conference win of the season to match last year’s victory total.  Their win at Billings Thursday was their first-ever road victory against MSUB ... Arnold had 11 block assists, including a career-high nine in a five-set win over Western Oregon. Of the nine blocks against the Wolves, three came in the fourth set and three also came in the fifth set as SPU overcame a 2-1 deficit.  She also had 19 kills, including 10 against WOU, hitting .333 (19-7-36).  She posted a .533 percentage (9-1-15) in a sweep of Saint Martin’s. 

Honorable Mention – Siobhan Johansen, Alaska Anchorage; Erin Smith, Central Washington; Kaitlin Quirk, Central Washington; Elayna Rice, Northwest Nazarene; Taylor Roberts, Northwest Nazarene; Samantha Hutchinson, Western Washington.

For more GNAC volleyball news, check out the GNAC Weekly release.