Wednesday, September 23, 2015

BLOCK PARTY: The GNAC is proving a dominant conference when it comes to stopping the ball at the net. Four GNAC teams are ranked in the Division II top-20 and three in the top-10. Central Washington leads the way, ranked second at 3.17 blocks per set. Alaska Anchorage is seventh at 2.67 per set, Northwest Nazarene is ninth at 2.65 per set and Simon Fraser is 17th at 2.51 per set. The same four teams are also ranked in the Division II top-20 in total blocks.

The GNAC also has six players ranked individually in the Division II top-50 in blocks per set. Central Washington’s Sabrina Wheelhouse leads the way, ranked sixth at 1.47 blocks per set while teammate Kaitlin Quirk is eighth at 1.39 blocks per set.

RECORD START: Alaska Anchorage has put together a record start to open the 2015 season. With their road wins over Western Oregon and Concordia, the Seawolves won their 11th straight game, surpassing the 10-0 record of the 1988 team for the program’s best start. In their return home, Alaska Anchorage will be looking to match their record of 13 striaght wins set in 2009. The Seawolves moved up one spot in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll to No. 11, the highest ranking in program history.

SEATTLE PACIFIC CELEBRATES 30 YEARS: Seattle Pacific will celebrate the 30th season of volleyball this weekend with a special ceremony between the second and third sets of their match against Western Oregon on Saturday. The Falcons started their volleyball program in 1986. This week, the Falcons will also play their 900th all-time match and will be looking for their 200th home win.

GNAC ROLLS IN THE CROSSOVER: For the second straight year, the GNAC proved the dominant team in the GNAC/PacWest Crossover, held Sept. Sept. 10-12 in Ellenbrug, Wash., and Seattle. In their host year, The GNAC went 17-15 against the PacWest, including 7-1 record of GNAC programs against the PacWest’s top-25 ranked program. In the two years of the tournament, the GNAC has a 37-27 record against the PacWest. In 2016, the crossover will expand to include the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Rachel Roeder, Western Washington
OH • 6-1 • Senior • Sammamish, Wash.

Roeder earned her second straight GNAC honor after finishing with 28 kills and a .463 hitting percentage in two GNAC matches. After posting nine kills in Thursday’s sweep of Saint Martin’s, Roeder pounded 19 kills and had a .581 hitting percentage in a sweep of Seattle Pacific. Roeder ranks in the GNAC’s top-1o in both season hitting percentage (.295) and kills (3.09 per set). Also Nominated: Alisha Bettinson (Western Oregon), Kendra Bodine (Northwest Nazarene), Catie Fry (Central Washington), Christine Howlett (Simon Fraser), Leah Swiss (Alaska Anchorage), Ashlynn Ward (Montana State Billings).

DEFENSIVE
Katelynn Zanders, Alaska Anchorage
OH • 5-9 • Senior • Anchorage, Alaska

Zanders led the No. 12 ranked Seawolves with 29 digs (4.14 digs per set) in two GNAC victories. She had a massive double-double of 17 digs and 22 kills in a four-set win over Western Oregon and added 12 kills and 10 digs in a three-set weep of Concordia. The senior leads the GNAC in kills (4.19 per set) and is 14th in digs. Also Nominated: Jenna Caywood (Northwest Nazarene), Liz Colon (Saint Martin’s), Jennica McPherson (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska opened the GNAC season with three straight losses. The Nanooks dropped three matches at Concordia on Thursday and at Western Oregon on Saturday, but succeeded in taking a set off of in-state rival Alaska Anchorage at home in a four-set loss.

• The match against Alaska Anchorage marked the eighth time in 10 matches that Alaska has gone more than three sets. The first set taken against the Seawolves was only the eighth won by the Nanooks this season.

• Senior outside hitter Sam Harthun finished with 36 kills in the Nanook’s first three GNAC matches, topped by a 15-kill performance on Tuesday against Alaska Anchorage. The total gives Harthun 1,224 career kills, moving her to No. 2 on Alaska’s all-time list and No. 13 on the GNAC all-time list. Harthun enters the week tied for third in the GNAC in total kills (127) and is third in kills per set (3.34).

• Freshman outside hitter Amberly Jeane added 22 kills in the three matches, led by a pair of nine-kill performances at Concordia and against Alaska Anchorage. Jeane is second for the Nanooks in kills with 89.

• Sophomore middle blocker Riley Podowicz leads the GNAC with her average of 0.47 service aces per set. Freshman setter Miranda Grieser is ranked fourth in the GNAC at 0.42 aces per set. As a team, the Nanooks are second in the GNAC with an average of 1.79 aces per set.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage opened up GNAC play with a 3-0 record and at 11-0 overall is off to their best start in school history, surpassing the 10-0 start by the 1988 team. The Seawolves’ 11-match win streak is tied for second longest in program history, topped only by a 13-match run put together in 2009.

• Thanks to their hot start, Alaska Anchorage moved up one spot to No. 11 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll, the program’s highest ever national ranking.

• The Seawolves finished with a .410 hitting percentage (44 kills, 10 errors, 83 attempts) in their victory over Alaska on Tuesday. The performance is the Seawolves’ best hitting percentage in the rally scoring era (2001 to present) and is the highest in GNAC history for a four-set match. (Previous Record: .407 (66-16-123), Alaska vs. Western Oregon, Oct. 31, 2009).

• Senior outside hitter Katelynn Zanders was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after a stellar week on both sides of the net. Zanders finished with 29 digs in the two weekend matches, averaging 4.14 digs per set. In addition, Zanders has 34 kills in the two matches, led by a 22-kill, 17-dig performance at Western Oregon. Zanders leads the GNAC and is 18th in Division II with 4.85 points per set. She also leads the league and is 22nd in Division II with 4.19 kills per set. Zanders enters the week with 1,168 career kills, No. 3 on the UAA all-time list and No. 20 on the GNAC all-time list.

• Senior right side Julia Mackey had 37 kills and a .293 hitting percentage in UAA’s first three conference matches, topped by a 17-kill, 15-dig double-double at Western Oregon. Mackey enters the week ranked third in the GNAC with a .365 hitting percentage and third in points at 3.79 per set.

• Junior Morgan Hooe is becoming one of the top setter not only in the conference, but in Division II. Hooe enters the week leading the GNAC at 10.90 assists per set and is ranked 21st in Division II with 11.19 assists per set (through Sept. 20). She is also 25th in Division II in total assists with 321. Hooe Had a double-double of 27 assists and 16 digs along with four blocks at Concordia on Saturday.

• As a team, Alaska Anchorage leads the GNAC in hitting percentage (.291), kills (13.70 per set) and assists (12.77 per set) and are ranked second in opponent hitting percentage (.140) and third in blocks (2.62 per set). In the Division II stats (through Sept, 20), the Seawolves are seventh nationally in blocks (2.67 per set), eighth in hitting percentage (.283), 16th in kills per set (14.00), and 20th in both assists per set (12.97) and total blocks (96.0). The Seawolves are one of 12 teams in Division II with a 1.000 hitting percentage.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• After losing their first three matches of the season at the Concordia-St. Paul Invitational, the Wildcats have surged to win six straight matches. Central Washington opened the GNAC season on Monday with a four-set win over Northwest Nazarene and took a three-set sweep at Montana State Billings Thursday.

• Despite going 2-0 to start GNAC play, Central Washington lost a few votes in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll, dropping from 27 points to 18 points, but are still among teams receiving votes.

• The Wildcats enter the week leading the GNAC and are second in Division II with an average of 3.17 blocks per set and are seventh in Division II with a total of 104.5 blocks (through Sept. 20). Sophomore middle blocker Sabrina Wheelhouse leads the GNAC individually and is sixth in Division II with 1.47 blocks per set. Senior Kaitlin Quirk is second in the the GNAC and eighth in Division II with 1.39 blocks per set.

• In addition, Wheelhouse is the most accurate hitter in the GNAC. Her .361 hitting percentage (61 kills, 17 errors, 122 attempts) leads the conference. Quirk is ranked fifth at .312 (77 kills, 24 errors, 170 attempts).

• Senior outside hitter Linden Firethorne added 28 kills to her total in the two wins, topped by a15-kill performance at Montana State Billings on Thursday. Firethorne enters the week ranked second in the GNAC and 43rd in Division II at 3.85 kills per set. She is also second in the league in points at 4.26 per set.

• Junior setter Catie Fry enters the week ranked second in the GNAC and 33rd in Division II with her average of 10.70 assists per set. Fry finished with 80 assists in two matches, led by a double-double of 35 assists and 10 digs at Montana State Billings.

• As a team, Central Washington is second in the GNAC in hitting percentage (.249) and assists (12.30 per set) and is third in kills (12.97 per set). The Wildcats are ranked 25th in Division II in hitting percentage.

• With this week’s home matches against Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday, Central Washington will complete a string of having played seven of eight matches at home. After this weekend, the Wildcats will play six of their next eight on the road.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia opened its Division II career on Thursday with a solid win, knocking off Alaska in three sets. In the long-awaited meeting between the GNAC’s two undefeated teams, Alaska Anchorage got past the home-standing Cavaliers in a hard-fought three sets, 25-23, 25-21, 25-18.

• Junior outside hittier Brenda Huwe led the Cavaliers with 20 kills and a .222 hitting percentage in the two matches. She had 10 kills in each of the two matches. Huwe enters the week ranked second for Concordia with 91 kills and an average of 2.68 kills per set.

• Senior outside hitter Ashley Jibby added 18 kills and 24 digs in the two matches, led by a 12-kill, 13-dig double-double against Alaska Anchorage. She is second on the team in digs at 3.03 per set.

• Sophomore opposite Lindsey Dorsey enters the week ninth in the GNAC in hitting percentage (.288) and eighth in both service aces (0.38 per set) and points (3.35 per set). Junior middle blocker Amanda Goringe is 10th in the GNAC in hitting percentage (.287) while sohpomore middle blocker Colby Barnette is fifth in blocks (1.21 per set).

•  Senior defensive specialist Shantel Gritsch leads the GNAC with an average of 5.85 digs per set. She leads a Concordia program that leads the GNAC with an average of 16.79 digs per set.

• Concordia enters the week leading the GNAC in service aces (1.79 per set) and opponent hitting percentage (.105). If the Cavaliers were eligible for listing in the Division II stats, they would rank 16th nationally in opponent hitting percentage. Concordia is also ranked fourth in the GNAC in hitting percentage (.227), kills (12.50 per set) and assists (11.56 per set).

• Concordia is in the second year of their three-year transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II. As such, the Cavaliers are not eligible for postseason competition or listing in the Division II statistics.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings hopes to put an end to a seven-match losing streak north in Alaska. The Yellowjackets dropped both of their opening GNAC matches in three sets, falling to Central Washington on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

• Junior outside hitter Ashlynn Ward had a standout week offensively, finishing with 24 kills and a .412 hitting percentage over the two matches last weekend. She led the weekend with 13 kills and a .591 hitting percentage in the loss to Northwest Nazarene.  Ward enters the week ranked fifth in the GNAC in kills at 3.11 per set.

• Senior setter Kyndal Williams had a pair of 30-plus assist performances in the two matches, topped by a 32-assist effort against Central Washington. Williams enters the week ranked fifth in the GNAC at 9.55 assists per set.

• Miranda McConnell has the GNAC’s best single match hitting performance to date, finishing with a .667 hitting percentage (14-2-18) against Academy of Art on Sept. 10. Taylor Sherman has one of two six-ace performances in the GNAC this season, which she had against the Urban Knights on Sept. 4.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• The Crusaders opened their title defense with a hard fought split. Northwest Nazarene took a four-set loss at Central Washington last Monday that saw three Wildcats’ players finish with 10 or more kills. They rebounded on Saturday, hitting .379 to easily power past Montana State Billings.

• Sophomore outside hitter Kendra Bodine had a standout week, finishing 29 kills and a .414 hitting percentage (29-5-58) in the two matches. Her week was topped by 19 kills and a .548 hitting percentage at MSU Billings. She had a double-double of 10 kills and 11 digs at Central Washington. Bodine leads NNU and is 10th in the GNAC with her average of 2.84 kills per set.

• Sophomore middle blocker Madi Farrell added 12 kills and five blocks in the loss at Central Washington. Farrell enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC with a .353 hitting percentage (83-24-167).

• Northwest Nazarene enters the week ranked second in the GNAC and ninth in Division II with an average of 2.65 blocks per set. The Crusaders are also ranked 12th nationally with 98 total blocks. Madi Farrell is ranked ninth in the GNAC at 1.11 blocks per set while senior middle blocker Jenna Caywood is ranked 10th at 1.02 per set. Caywood’s 10-block performance against Cal State San Bernadino on Sept. 4 is one of three in the GNAC this season.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• The Saints opened the GNAC season with a pair of road losses to a pair of the league’s tougher teams. Saint Martin’s dropped a three-set affair at Western Washington on Thursday before taking a three-set loss at Simon Fraser on Saturday.

• Senior outside hitter Julia Wabinga led the Saints with 21 kills, averaging 3.50 kills per set. Her week was topped by an 11-kill, five-dig performance at Simon Fraser. Wabinga enters the week leading the Saints with 67 kills and 2.79 kills per set.

• Junior setter Cassanda Fenton enters the week ranked 10th in the GNAC in assists, averaging 6.31 assists per set. Fenton finished just short of a double-double with 27 assists and nine digs against Western Washington and added 32 assists at Simon Fraser.

• Saint Martin’s home win over Douglas on Sept. 12 snapped a 19-match losing streak that dated back to September 2014. The Saints will be looking to end a 15-match losing streak to GNAC teams at home, hosting Western Oregon on Thursday and Concordia on Saturday. The Saints last won a GNAC match on Sept. 27, 2014, beating Western Oregon in five sets.

• After playing their first 10 matches of the season on the road, Northwest Nazarene will play their home opener on Thursday against Simon Fraser. The Crusaders will play four of their next six on their home floor.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific hopes that the home floor will be kind after taking two tough road losses. On Thursday, the Falcons were on the losing end of an epic five-set match at SImon Fraser that saw the Clan come back from a two-set deficit and from an 8-1 deficit in the fifth set. Seattle Pacific had little steam left on Saturday, falling in three sets at Western Washington.

• Sophomore outside hitter Lexi Biondi set GNAC single season highs with 25 kills and 72 attempts at Simon Fraser. Biondi finished the week with 36 kills, averaging 4.50 kills per set, and four blocks in the two matches.

• Senior libero Breanne Wiekamp had a GNAC single season high with 35 digs in the loss at Simon Fraser and finished with 43 digs in the two matches. She enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC with an average of 4.71 digs per set.

• Sophomore outside hitter Hannah Lautenbach added 28 kills in the two matches, led by 19 kills and a .280 hitting percentage at Simon Fraser. Lautenbach enters the week ranked ninth in the GNAC with kills at 2.88 per set.

• While Seattle Pacific is ninth in hitting percentage in the GNAC at .132, the Falcons have had the highest single match hitting percentage this season when they hit .410 (43 kills, 11 errors, 78 attempts) against Molloy on Sept. 4.

• In their 30th year playing volleyball, Seattle Pacific will pay tribute to the history of their progam with a special ceremony between the second and third set of Saturday’s match. Additionally, the Falcons will play their 900th all-time match at Royal Brougham Pavilion on Thursday and are looking for their 200th victory at home, carrying into the week an all-time home record of 199-89.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser opened the GNAC schedule with a hard-fought five-set win over Seattle Pacific on Thursday. The Clan rebounded from two sets down to force the deciding fifth set and then went down 8-1 in the fifth set before rallying to win 16-14. In the match, SFU finished with 68 kills, 108 digs and 14 blocks.

• The Clan made it a 2-0 start to conference play with a three-set sweep by Saint Martin’s. Simon Fraser held off a challenging second set, winning 28-24 before dominating the third in a 25-14 rout.

• Sophomore outside hitter Christine Howlett led the way in the five-set win over SPU, finishing with 18 kills, six blocks and a .259 hitting percentage. She finished with 26 kills and a .288 hitting percentage in the two matches.

• Junior outside hitter Devon May led Simon Fraser with 29 kills in the two matches. She had 17 kills in the five-set win over Seattle Pacific and had 12 kills and a .393 hitting percentage in the sweep of Saint Martin’s. May enters the week ranked seventh in the GNAC in kills at 3.07 per set. Her 11.20 attacks per set ranks 25th in Division II and her 459 total attacks ranks 20th.

• Junior libero Alison McKay added 46 digs to her total, led by 29 digs in the win over Seattle Pacific. McKay enters the week second in the GNAC and 32nd in Division II at 5.46 digs per set and 23rd in Division II with 233 total digs.

WESTERN OREGON
• The home court continues to be kind to Western Oregon as they split their matches in Monmouth to start the GNAC schedule. The Wolves lost in four sets to Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and beat Alaska on Saturday in three sets.

• Sophomore outside hitter Alisha Bettinson led the way with 27 kills, 16 digs and a .309 hitting percentage in the two matches. She led the Wolves with 14 kills and 12 digs against Alaska Anchorage  and had 13 kills against Alaska. Bettinson leads WOU with 115 kills and an average of 2.59 kills per set.

• Junior libero Christie Colasurdo is ranked third inthe GNAC with 5.34 digs per set. She added 38 digs in the two matches, led by a 20-dig effort against Alaska.  She is also ranked 39th in Division II in the category.

• Setters Leila Holt and Maddie Machiz enter the week ranked seventh and eighth in the GNAC in assists. Holt had 26 assists in the win over Alaska. Machiz finished with 36 assists in the loss to Alaska Anchorage. Machiz has the best individual performance by a setter in the GNAC this season with 57 against Notre Dame de Namur on Sept. 12.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington enters their matches at Central Washington on Thursday and at Northwest Nazarene on Saturday riding an eight-match win streak. The Vikings won all four of their matches at the GNAC/PacWest Crossover and opened GNAC play with three-set sweeps of Saint Martin’s on Thursday and Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

• The pair of victories allowed the Vikings to move up one spot to No. 15 in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll. They opened the season ranked No. 24, moved up to No. 19 on Sept. 7 and to No. 16 on Sept. 14.

• Western Washington’s has played five matches this season against nationally-ranked teams. The Vikings have a 3-2 record in those matches.

• Senior outside hitter Rachel Roeder repeated as the GNAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week after finishing with 28 kills and a .463 hitting percentage in the two matches last week. Her high water mark was on Saturday against Seattle Pacific when Roeder finished with 19 kills and a .581 hitting percentage. Roeder enters the week ranked sixth in the GNAC with 3.09 kills per set and eighth with a .295 hitting percentage.

• Freshman ourtside hitter Abby Phelps finished with 17 kills in the two matches and had nine kills and 10 digs against Seattle Pacific. Phelps enters the week ranked eighth in the GNAC with 3.03 kills per set.

• Senior opposite Jennica McPherson is ranked second in the GNAC in aces at 0.45 per set.

• The Vikings are ranked second in the GNAC in kills (13.12 per set) and are third in hitting percentage (.231), assists (12.18 per set), aces (1.59 per set) and digs (15.97 per set). Western Washington is ranked 42nd in Division II in blocks with 2.24 per set.

• Western Washington will play all of their 2015 home matches at Bellingham’s Whatcom Community College while their on-campus arena, Carver Gymnasium, undergoes a two-year renovation.

• Western Oregon’s matches at Saint Martin’s on Thursday and at Seattle Pacific on Saturday will be the Wolves’ first road matches since competing at the Oredigger Classic in Golden, Colo., on Sept. 4 and 5.

• Freshman middle blocker Tessa May enters the week ranked sixth in the GNAC with a .312 hitting percentage. She is also seventh in the GNAC and 42nd among Division II players with an average of 1.17 blocks per set. She is also 21st in Division II with 48 total blocks.

• As a team, Simon Fraser ranks second in the GNAC in digs (16.68 per set) and third in opponent hitting percentage (.156). The Clan is fourth in the GNAC and 17th in Division II in blocks with 2.51 per set. The Clan is also eighth in Division II with 103 blocks.