Thursday, November 12, 2015

STILL CLOSE, BUT CLEARER: The four-team logjam in the GNAC standings was broken up last weekend, but the race gap between first and fourth place is still quite narrow. Two wins by Alaska Anchorage and Western Washington allowed the two teams to remain tied for first at 14-2. Central Washington took a five-set loss to the Seawolves on Thursday, dropping to third place at 13-3. Northwest Nazarene took losses to both Alaska and Alaska Anchorage to drop to fourth place at 12-4. The standings will shuffle more this weekend with the Seawolves and Vikings scheduled to square off on Saturday in Bellingham, Wash.

NORTHWEST FLAVOR IN THE REGIONAL RANKINGS: The GNAC owns the top-three spots in the latest NCAA Division II West Region Rankings. Alaska Anchorage took over the No. 1 spot, with Western Washington slipping one spot to No. 2. Central Washington heled steady at No. 3.

KILLING THE KILLS RECORD: Alaska senior outside hitter Sam Harthun provided a record-setting performance in the Nanooks’ five-set upset of Northwest Nazarene on Thursday. Harthun smashed 40 kills against the Crusaders, which also smashed the GNAC single match record for kills in a five-set match. The previous record was 34 set by Western Oregon’s Mandy Veley in 2004 and equaled by Montana State Billings’ Decon Crotteau in 2008. Harthun also broke Veley’s record for points in a five-set match with 41.5. Harthun is on track to become the GNAC’s all-time leader in kills. She needs 11 to suprass the record 1,461 set by Seattle’s Sarah Sommerman from 2002 to 2005.

ADD RECORDS: Three other individual match records this season. Alaska Anchorage’s .410 hitting percentage against Alaska on Sept. 22 set a record for kill percentage in four sets. That bettered the mark of .407 which Alaska set against Western Oregon on Oct. 31, 2009.

Western Washington finished with 20 blocks at Northwest Nazarene on Sept. 26, bettering the mark of 19.5 in a five-set match by Central Washington against Cal State San Bernadino on Nov. 18, 2005, only to have that record broken again when Central Washington finished with 21 blocks against Simon Fraser on Oct. 22. In the CWU/NNU match, Kayleigh Harper registered 13 blocks, tying the GNAC record for a five-set match. Alaska’s Miranda Grieser tied the record for blocks in a five-set match with eight aces on Oct. 31 against Saint Martin’s.

PACKING THEM IN: Once again, Alaska Anchorage is breaking attendance records. The Seawolves hosted 2,002 fans in the Alaska Airlines Center for Saturday’s match against Northwest Nazarene. It marks the sixth time this season that Alaska Anchorage has reset the school’s volleyball attendance record. The Seawolves lead Division II in average attendance with 1,294 coming through the turnstiles in 12 matches. Central Washington is 17th in Division II in average attendance, averaging 512 fans per contest.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Miranda Grieser, Alaska
Setter • 5-7  Senior • Maple Valley, Wash.

Grieser finished with 118 assists in the Nanooks’ two matches, averaging 13.11 assists per set, in a weekend split. She had 74 assists, two short of the GNAC single-match record, in the Nanooks’ five-set win over Northwest Nazarene and had 44 against Central Washington. Also Nominated: Elayna Rice (Northwest Nazarene), Kendal Williams (Montana State Billings).

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

Zanders led the Seawolves to two victories with 23 digs, two service aces and 34 kills. She finished with 14 kills, 12 digs and two aces in Thursday’s five-set win over Central Washington and had 20 kills and 11 digs in a four-set win over Northwest Nazarene. Also Nominated: Alison McKay (Simon Fraser), Linnea Phillips (Northwest Nazarene).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• After struggling through the first half of the season, the Nanooks are looking to finish the season strong. Alaska extended their win streak to three matches by shocking Northwest Nazarene in five sets on Thursday. The Nanooks fought hard on Saturday, but dropped a four-set decision to Central Washington.

• Senior setter Miranda Grieser was named GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after coming up with 118 assists in the two matches, averaging 13.1 assists per set. She had 74 assists in the win over Northwest Nazarene, tying her for second on the GNAC all-time list for a five-set match.

• Senior outside hitter Sam Harthun smashed 61 kills and hit .280 in the two matches. She had 40 kills in the win over Northwest Nazarene, breaking the GNAC mark for kills in a five-set match of 34 set by Mandy Veley of Western Oregon in 2004. Harthun also had 41.5 points, breaking the GNAC record set in the same match by Veley. Harthun enters the week with 1,451 kills and needs just 11 to break the GNAC all-time record of 1,461 set by Seattle’s Sarah Sommerman (2002-05).

• Harthun enters the week leading the GNAC and ranked 15th in Division II with an average of 4.16 kills per set. She also leads the GNAC and ranks 17th nationally with 4.71 points per set. Grieser enters the week ranked ninth in the GNAC with 7.05 assists per set.

• Sophomore Riley Podowicz was limited to just one ace in the two matches, but continues to lead the GNAC and rank 49th in Division II with 0.45 aces per set. Grieser is ranked second in the GNAC with 0.42 aces per set. As a team, the Nanooks lead the GNAC and are 41st in Division II with 1.79 aces per set.

• Alaska travels to the “Lower 48” for the final time this season this weekend. playing at Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage kept pace with Western Washington for the top spot in the GNAC standings, taking a five-set victory from Central Washington on Thursday and a four-set match from Northwest Nazarene on Saturday. Both teams shared first place with the Seawolves and Vikings entering the week.

• The Seawolves are at No. 11 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll for the third consecutive week, but took over the top spot in the second NCAA West Region Rankings. They lead three GNAC teams at the top of the rankings.

• Senior outside hitter Katelynn Zanders was named GNAC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after finishing with 23 digs, 34 kills and two aces in the two matches. She posted team highs of 14 kills and 12 digs in the five-set win over Central Washington and smashed 20 kills in the win over Northwest Nazarene. Zanders enters the week ranked second in the GNAC and 43rd in Division II with 3.78 kills per set.

• Senior right side Julia Mackey finished with 27 kills, six aces, 19 digs and 11 blocks in the two matches. Her weekend was topped by 12 kills, six aces, eight digs and seven blocks against Central Washington. Mackey enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC with a .318 hitting percentage and is fourth in points with 3.70 per set.

• Junior setter Morgan Hooe continues to lead the GNAC and is ranked 38th in Division II with 10.51 assists per set. She added 95 in the two matches, topped by a 53-assist, 8-dig performance against Northwest Nazarene.

• Alaska Anchorage is one of five GNAC teams ranked in the Division II top-50 in blocks, entering the week in seventh at 2.66 blocks per set (on of three top-10 GNAC teams). Erin Braun leads the way, ranking sixth in the GNAC and 25th in Division II with 1.20 blocks per set. Braun had 10 blocks in last week’s matches.

• As a team, Alaska Anchorage leads the GNAC in hitting percentage (.263) and opponent hitting percentage (.126) and is second in kills (13.45 per set), assists (12.51 per set) and aces (1.57 per set). The Seawolves are ranked fifth in Division II in win/loss percentage (.917), 14th in hitting percentage, 19th in opponent hitting percentage and total team blocks (231.0), 38th in kills per set and 39th in assists per set.

• Alaska Anchorage set another attendance record as 2,002 fans took in their match on Saturday against Northwest Nazarene. It is the sixth time that UAA has broken their attendance record this season and the mark is third most for a single match in Division II this season. Alaska Anchorage enters the week leading Division II in average attendance with 1,294 per game. The record entering the season was 1,200 in the first night match played at the Alaska Airlines Center against LIU Post on Sept. 5, 2014.

• The Seawolves finished with a .410 hitting percentage (44 kills, 10 errors, 83 attempts) in their victory over Alaska on Sept. 22. 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).

• Alaska Anchorage will play at Simon Fraser on Thursday and Western Washington on Saturday in their final road trip of the regular season.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• While no longer in the first place tie, Central Washington is well within the GNAC championship chase. The Wildcats split their weekend matches, falling to Alaska Anchorage in five sets on Thursday before beating Alaska in four sets on Saturday.

• Despite the split, the Wildcats moved up one spot to No. 24 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll. Central Washington also maintained their No. 3 spot in the NCAA Division II West Region Rankings.

• Senior outside hitter Linden Firethorne led six Wildcats in double figure kills with 26 to go along with 15 digs and six blocks, led by a 12-kill, 7-dig performance at Alaska Anchorage. Firethorne enters the week ranked third in the GNAC in both kills (3.63 per set) and points (4.13 per set).

• Junior outside hitter Kiah Jones added 20 kills, paced by a 12-kill performance in the win over Alaska.

• Sophomore middle blocker Sabrina Wheelhouse finished the week with 15 kills, a .345 hitting percentage and nine blocks, highlighted by 10 kills and seven blocks at Alaska. Wheelhouse is second in the GNAC and 38th in Division II with a .353 hitting percentage.

• Central Washington once again leads Division II in blocks, averaging 2.84 per set. The team leads five GNAC programs ranked in the top-50. The Wildcats are also 11th in Division II with 258 total blocks. Wheelhouse leads CWU in blocking individually, ranking third in the GNAC and 10th in Division II with 1.34 blocks per set.

• Central Washington is ranked third in the GNAC and 38th in Division II with a .231 hitting percentage. The Wildcats are also third in the GNAC in kills (12.71 per set) and assists (11.95 per set).

• Central Washington enters the week ranked 17th in Division II in attendance, averaging 512 fans per match. The Sept. 24 match against Western Washington drew 1,687 fans, setting a school single-match attendance record.

• Central Washington closes by playing three of their final four matches at home. Their only away match is the Nov. 17 “travel partner” match at Northwest Nazarene.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia enters the weekend having snapped a three-match losing streak. The Cavaliers took a four-set loss to Simon Fraser on Friday and a three-set loss to Western Washington on Saturday before scoring a three-set sweep of their own on Tuesday over Western Oregon.

• Junior outside hitter Brenna Huwe led the Cavaliers with 32 kills, 19 digs and eight blocks in the three matches. Her week was paced a 14-kill, 14-dig effort against Simon Fraser. Huwe enters the week ranked 10th in the GNAC with 2.97 kills per set.

• Sophomore opposite Lindsey Dorsey added 25 kills to go along with 46 digs in the three matches. She had 12 kills and added 19 digs in the four-setter against Simon Fraser.

• The Cavaliers had 28 team blocks in the three matches and enters the week fifth in the GNAC with 2.44 blocks per set. The total would rank Concordia 19th in Division II. Britt Beyer had 15 blocks in the three matches while Colby Barnette added 11. Barnette ranks fifth in the GNAC with 1.21 blocks per set and would rank 23rd in Division II.

• Concordia enters the week ranked second in the GNAC in opponent hitting percentage (.152) and digs (16.76 per set). The Cavaliers are fifth in the GNAC in hitting percentage (.194), kills (12.34 per set) and aces (1.22 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 snapped a three-match losing streak by winning both home matches over the weekend, sweeping Seattle Pacific in three sets on Thursday and beating Saint Martin’s in four sets on Saturday.

• Junior outside hitter Ashlynn Ward led the Yellowjackets’ offense once again, finishing with 24 kills and a .232 hitting percentage in the two matches. She finished with 14 kills in the win over Saint Martin’s. Ward enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC with 3.28 kills per set.

• Senior setter Kyndal Williams had a big week, tallying 70 assists and 13 digs in the two matches. She finished with 39 assists in the win over Saint Martin’s and added eight digs in the win over Seattle Pacific. Williams enters the week ranked fifth in the GNAC with an average of 9.84 assists per set and is 10th with 0.29 aces per set.

• Audri Marrs finsihed with 20 kills and eight blocks in the two matches, paced by 11 kills against Saint Martin’s. Taylor Sherman added 17 kills and 23 digs in the two matches with a .222 hitting percentage, led by 11 kills against Saint Martin’s.

• Junior defensive specialist Kimmy Kirk remains ranked 10th in the GNAC with 3.42 digs per set. She came off the bench for 16 digs in the win over Saint Martin’s.

• Montana State Billings will finish the season with four road matches. The Yellowjackets begin the road trip this weekend at Concordia on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• The Crusaders saw their 10-match win streak come to a shocking end, falling on Thursday in five sets at Alaska. Northwest Nazarene ended the trip with a four-set loss to Alaska Anchorage.

• With the losses, Northwest Nazarene slipped to fourth in the GNAC standings at 12-4 and dropped out of both the NCAA Division II West Region Rankings and among those receiving votes in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll.

• Senior outside hitter Elayna Rice lead the Crusaders in the two matches with 24 kills and 24 digs. She finished with 14 kills and 14 digs in the loss to Alaska.

• Sophomore middle blocker Madi Farrell finished with 19 kills, a .450 hitting percentage and 11 blocks in the two matches. She had 11 kills and seven blocks against Alaska. Farrell continues to lead the GNAC and is ranked 18th in Division II with a .374 hitting percentage She is also fourth in Division II with 1.47 blocks per set and eighth with 135 total blocks.

• Sophomore outside hitter Kendra Bodine added 23 kills and 25 digs in the two matches, led by 15 kills and 11 digs against Alaska Anchorage. Bodine enters the week seventh in the GNAC with 3.07 kills per set.

• The Crusaders enter the week ranked second in Division II in blocks, averaging 2.76 per set. Northwest Nazarene is one of five GNAC teams ranked in the Division II top-50 in blocking and are also ranked 13th with 254 total blocks.

• The Crusaders enter the week ranked third in the GNAC in opponent hitting percentage (.164) and fourth in hitting percentage (.222), kills (12.46 per set) and assists (11.76 per set).

• Northwest Nazarene will finish the regular season with four home matches, including a Tues., Nov. 17 rematch with Central Washington.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s is in the midst of a 13-match losing streak. After dropping the Tuesday “travel partner” match to Seattle Pacific in three sets, the Saints took a four-set loss at Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

• Freshman middle blocker Megan Vernoy led the Saints with 17 kills in the two matches. She came off the bench to lead the team with 12 kills against Montana State Billings. Vegas Casey had 12 kills in the two matches while Julia Wabinga had 11 kills against the Yellowjackets in her only match of the week.

• Senior middle blocker Kyra Davidson added 11 blocks to her total in the two matches, led by nine blocks against Seattle Pacific. Davidson enters the week ranked seventh in the GNAC and 29th in Division II with 1.18 blocks per set.

• Saint Martin’s home win over Douglas on Sept. 12 snapped a 19-match losing streak that dated back to September 2014. The Saints then snapped a 15-match GNAC losing streak with their five-set win over Western Oregon on Sept. 24.

• After their matches this week at Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene, the Saints will finish the season with home matches against Simon Fraser and Western Washington.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• The Falcons enter a tough home weekend having split their matches last week. Seattle Pacific won their Tuesday “travel partner” match with Saint Martin’s in three sets before falling in three sets at Montana State Billings on Thursday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Lexi Biondi led four Falcons’ players with double-digit kills, finishing with 20 and a .317 hitting percentage in the two matches. She finished with 13 kills at Montana State Billings. Biondi enters the week ranked sixth in the GNAC with 3.19 kills per set.

• Senior libero Breanne Wiekamp added 23 digs and four assists in the two matches, paced by 14 digs against Saint Martin’s. Wiekamp stands 49 digs away from taking over No. 7 on the SPU all-time list. She is ranked fourth in the GNAC with 5.40 digs per set.

• Setter Symone Tran finished with 44 assists in the two matches, led by 27 assists against Montana State Billings. Tran enters the week ranked sixth in the GNAC with 9.11 assists per set.

• As a team, Seattle Pacific is ranked fourth in the GNAC with 1.28 aces per set and fifth with 15.76 digs per set.

• The Falcons travel to Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday before finishing the season with home matches against Western Washington and Simon Fraser.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser pulled their overall and GNAC records back to .500 with a weekend sweep. The Clan scored a four-set win at Concordia on Friday and turned around to beat Western Oregon in four sets on Saturday.

• Junior outside hitter Devon May led the Clan with 28 kills and 34 digs in the two matches, led by 14 kills and 18 digs at Western Oregon. She had a double-double of 14 kills and 10 digs in the win over Concordia.

• Junior libero Alison McKay had 57 digs, five assists and five aces in the two matches. She finished with 29 digs, four assists and three aces at Concordia. McKay enters the week ranked second in the GNAC and 16th in Division II with 5.89 digs per set.

• Freshman middle blocker Tessa May added 21 kills and seven blocks in the two matches, registering 13 kills and five blocks in the win at Western Oregon. Tessa May is ranked 12th in the GNAC in hitting percentage (.240). She is also eighth in the GNAC and 30th in Division II with 1.18 blocks per set and 33rd nationally with 112 total blocks.

• Simon Fraser is one of five GNAC teams ranked in the Division II top-50 in blocks, ranking 45th with 2.15 blocks per set. The Clan is also ranked fourth in Division II with 40.45 attacks per set and 25th with 18.27 digs per set.

• In the GNAC statistics, Simon Fraser leads the league with 18.27 digs per set and is fourth with a .164 opponent hitting percentage.

• Simon Fraser host the Alaska schools this weekend before closing the season on the road with matches at Saint Martin’s and Seattle Pacific.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon enters the week looking to stop a five-match losing streak. The Wolves took four-set losses at home to Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday. In Tuesday’s “travel partner” match, the Wolves fell in a three-set sweep at Concordia.

• Sophomore outside hitter Alisha Bettinson led the Wolves with 33 kills, 39 digs and eight blocks in the three matches, led by a double-double of 12 kills and 12 digs at Concordia. Freshman outside hitter Amanda Short added 30 kills and 14 digs, paced by 14 kills against Concordia.

• Sophomore middle blocker Sydney Blankinship put together 29 kills and 10 blocks in the three matches. She had her highs on 11 kills and three blocks against Western Washington. Blankinship enters the week ranked sixth in the GNAC with a .313 hitting percentage.

• Junior libero Christie Colasurdo added 92 digs to her total in the three matches, topped by 38 digs against Simon Fraser. Colasurdo enters the week leading the GNAC and is ranked fourth in Division II with 6.27 digs per set.

• Freshmen setters Maddie Machiz and Leila Holt are ranked seventh and eighth in the GNAC with 7.27 and 7.10 assists per set, respectively.

• As a team, Western Oregon is ranked third in the GNAC with 16.60 digs per set.

• Western Oregon closes the home schedule on Saturday against Montana State Billings before closing the year on the road against the Alaska schools.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington stayed in a tie with Alaska Anchorage for first place in the GNAC standings after collecting a four-set win at Western Oregon on Thursday and a three-set sweep at Concordia on Saturday.

• Western Washington stayed at No. 16 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll for the third consecutive week and enters the week No. 2 in the Division II West Region Rankings. They are one of three GNAC squads in the top-three.

• Senior outside hitter Rachel Roeder led the Vikings with 27 kills and a .379 hitting percentage in the two matches. She came alive for 16 kills and eight digs at Western Oregon. Roeder enters the week ranked fifth in the GNAC with 3.22 kills per set and ninth with her .288 hitting percentage.

• Freshman middle blocker Kayleigh Harper finished with 22 kills, a .425 hitting percentage and 11 blocks in the two matches. She posted 14 kills against Western Oregon and had eight blocks against Concordia. Harper enters the week ranked third in the GNAC with a .330 hitting percentage. She is also second in the GNAC and seventh in Division II with 1.38 blocks per set.

• One of five GNAC teams ranked in the Division II top-50 in blocks, Western Washington is ranked 18th in Division II and fourth in the GNAC with 2.45 blocks per set. The Vikings lead the GNAC in kills (13.90 per set) and assists (12.92 per set). Western Washington is second in the GNAC and 16th in Division II in hitting percentage (.250).

• Western Washington set a GNAC record for blocks in a five-set match with 20 at Northwest Nazarene on Sept. 26. Harper tied the GNAC single match record for blocks in a five-set match with 13 in that match.

• Western Washington finishes their regular season home schedule this weekend as they host the Alaska schools. The Vikings will have a showdown with co-league leader Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

• 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.