Wednesday, September 14, 2016

FIRST D2 WEST REGION VOLLEYBALL SHOWCASE GOES TO GNAC: The first D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase was a great stage for the GNAC, which came away as the big winner between the three competing conferences.

The GNAC finished with a 31-13 record, a .704 win percentage, in the three-day event, which featured all 38 volleyball teams from the GNAC, the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and the PacWest Conference. The CCAA finished with a 28-25 record while the PacWest finished 17-38.

The tougher the pods were, the better the GNAC did. The league went 7-1 in the Sonoma State pod, which featured the first and second place finishers in last year’s regular season standings. The GNAC swept the UC San Diego pod with an 8-0 record and went 6-2 in the San Francisco State pod. Five GNAC teams finished the tournament with 4-0 records: Alaska Anchorage, Central Washington, Northwest Nazarene, Saint Martin’s and Simon Fraser.

EIGHT GNAC PLAYERS NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: A very successful showing by GNAC teams in the first D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase was further rewarded with the selection of eight conference athletes to the event’s All-Tournament Team.

Two players were selected from each pod to the All-Tournament Team. Selected from the GNAC were Northwest Nazarene setter Hailey Cook, Seattle Pacific middle blocker Shaun Crespi, Simon Fraser libero Alison McKay and setter Tamara Nipp, Alaska Anchorage libero Kyla Militante-Amper and outside hitter Leah Swiss, Saint Martin’s outside hitter Rebecca Mitchell, and Central Washington middle blocker Sabrina Wheelhouse.

Joining the eight GNAC selections to the team were Rachel Flynn of Concordia-Irvine, Blaire Ehrlich of Stanislaus State, Marley Strand-Nicolaisen pf Hawaii-Hilo and Maddy Underwood of Cal State Monterey Bay.

FIRST WINS: The strong showings at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase also resulted in first wins for a pair of first year head coaches. Western Oregon gave Tommy Gott his first win as head coach with its three-set sweep of Hawaii Pacific on Friday. Saint Martin’s gave Jon Killingbeck his first win in the Saint’s tournament-opening five-set victory over Academy of Art. The Saints proceeded to win all four matches and is off to a 4-0 start for the first time in the school’s GNAC history.

IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS: The GNAC finished the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase with three teams in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25 Poll. Alaska Anchorage remained at No. 12 after winning all four tournament matches. Western Washington slipped five spots to No. 19 after going 3-1 in the tournament, falling to Cal State San Bernardino, which jumped two spots to No. 13. Northwest Nazarene cracked the top-25 for the first time this season, emerging at No. 24.

Cal State San Bernardino was the only other D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase participant to take a spot in the top-25. Cal Baptist, Concordia-Irvine and Chaminade was among teams receiving votes.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Hailey Cook, Northwest Nazarene
S • 5-10  Senior • Nampa, Idaho

One of eight GNAC selections to the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase All-Tournament Team, Cook finished the tournament with 162 assists (10.80 assists per set), nine kills, six aces, 48 digs and three blocks as the Crusaders went 4-0. She finished with highs of 56 assists and 21 digs in the Crusaders’ five-set win over Point Loma on Friday.

Also Nominated: Leah Swiss (Alaska Anchorage), Sabrina Wheelhouse (Central Washington), Gabby Oddo (Seattle Pacific), Stormy Siemion (Montana State Billings), Rachel Mitchell (Saint Martin’s), Tessa May (Simon Fraser), Abby Phelps (Western Washington), Alisha Bettinson (Western Oregon), Brianna Hogan (Concordia).

DEFENSIVE
Kyla Militante-Amper, Alaska Anchorage
L • 5-3 • Sophomore • Hillsboro, Ore.

Militante-Amper was named to the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase All-Tournament Team after finishing with 5.94 digs per set in the Seawolves’ four matches in the tournament’s top pod. She finished with a career-high tying 30 digs and four aces in a four-set win over Dixie State on Friday. She had no less than 21 digs in all four matches.

Also Nominated: Madi Farrell (Northwest Nazarene), Kyla Morgan (Central Washington), Shaun Crespi (Seattle Pacific), Cassidy Apo (Saint Martin’s), Alison McKay (Simon Fraser), Bryce Larson (Western Washington), Christie Colasurdo (Western Oregon).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska wrapped up their non-conference schedule by dropping all four matches at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase. The Nanooks dropped three set matches to Chico State on Thursday and Stanislaus State on Friday, lost a five-set heartbreaker Hawaii Pacific on Friday and fell in four to Concordia-Irvine on Saturday.

• Junior outside hitters Angela Molesworth and Maddie Davis led Alaska with 35 kills apiece in the four matches, with Molesworth adding six blocks. Davis had 11 kills and 12 digs in Friday’s loss to Stanislaus State.

• Sophomore outside hitter Amberly Jeane contributed 31 kills and 23 digs in the four matches, topped by a 17-kill effort on Friday against Hawaii Pacific.

• Alaska is ranked third in the GNAC and 17th in Division II with an average of 2.15 aces per set. The Nanooks are also 26th in Division II with 58 total aces. The team has 27 in the Showcase, led by eight from Davis. She is tied for fifth in the GNAC at 0.50 aces per set while teammate Riley Podowicz is fourth ar 0.52 aces per set.

• Freshman Kim Wong is ranks fourth in the GNAC with a .296 hitting percentage. Junior setter Rachel Nichols is eighth in the league with 8.70 assists per set.

• Alaska opens the GNAC schedule at home, hosting Seattle Pacific on Thursday and Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage ran its current win streak to 10 matches by sweeping all four matches in the Somona State pod in the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase.

• The Seawolves opened with a five-set win over No. 13 Cal State San Bernardino and followed that with a four-set win over Dixie State on Thursday. The Seawolves beat then No. 25 Cal Baptist in four sets on Friday before taking care of Somona State in three sets on Saturday. The performance earned UAA selection as the GNAC/Red Lion Team of the Week.

• Sophomore outside hitter Leah Swiss was named to the All-Tournament Team after finishing with 67 kills, 34 digs and a .331 hitting percentage in the four matches. Her top effort came in the five-set opening win over Cal State Bernardino on Thursday with 26 kills, a .480 hitting percentage, 15 digs and two blocks. Swiss enters the week leading the GNAC with 4.36 points per set and is tied for fourth in Division II with her 19 service aces.

• Sophomore libero Kyla Militanate-Amper was named both to the All-Tournament Team and as the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after she finished with with 95 digs in 16 sets, averaging 5.94 digs per set, while also compiling 10 assists and five aces. Her best effort came in the Seawolves’ four-set win over Dixie State with 30 digs and four aces. Militante-Amper currently ranks third in the GNAC and 18th in Division II with 5.68 digs per set and leads Division II with 227 total digs.

• The wins allowed Alaska Anchorage to remain at No. 12 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll for the second straight week. The Seawolves began the season at No. 14.

• The Seawolves enters the week leading the GNAC and are 23rd in Division II with a .116 opponent’s hitting percentage. Alaska Anchorage leads Division II with 512 total kills and 83 total service aces. The Seawolves also rank third in the GNAC with 2.50 blocks per set.

• Alaska Anchorage begins their GNAC title defense at home, hosting Saint Martin’s on Friday and Seattle Pacific on Saturday. The Seawolves led Division II in attendance last year, averaging 1,481 fans per match.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington was one of five GNAC teams to go 4-0 at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase. The Wildcats collected three set wins over Point Loma on Thursday and BYU-Hawaii on Friday and won four-set battles with Cal Poly Pomona on Friday and UC San Diego on Saturday.

• Junior middle blocker Sabrina Wheelhouse was named to the All-Tournament Team after she finished with seven kills, a .333 hitting percentage, seven aces and 20 blocks in 14 sets. She saved per best effort for last, finishing with seven kills, two aces and seven blocks in the Wildcats’ four-set win on Saturday at UC San Diego. Wheelhouse leads the GNAC and is third in Division II with an average of 1.56 blocks per set.

• Sophomore outside hitter Shelby Mauritson led CWU with 48 kills and 41 digs in the four matches, led by 15 kills and 12 digs against Cal Poly Pomona. Senior outside hitter Kiah Jones had 43 kills and his .299 in the four matches, led by 10 kills and 12 digs against UC San Diego.

• For the tournament, CWU finished with a .212 hitting percentage, 201 kills and 37 blocks.

• The Wildcats enter the week leading the GNAC and ranked fifth in Division II with an average of 2.62 blocks per set. Central Washington is also ninth in Division II with 76 total blocks.

• Central Washington opens the GNAC schedule in the Willamette Valley, playing at Concordia on Thursday and at Western Oregon on Saturday.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia achieved a split in their matches at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase. After four-set losses to Fresno Pacific and Cal State LA on Thursday and Friday, the Cavaliers beat Chaminade in four sets on Friday before taking a three-set sweep of San Francisco State on Saturday.

• Concordia finished the tournament with a .265 hitting percentage, 202 kills and 39 aces. Senior outside hitter Brenna Huwe led the way individually with 50 kills, a .272 hitting percentage and 22 digs.

• Senior middle blocker Brianna Hogan finished with 41 kills and eight blocks in the four matches, led by a 16-kill performance against Cal State LA.

• Concordia enters the week leading the GNAC with an average of 2.21 aces per set. Junior opposite Lindsey Dorsey is the conference’s individual leader with an average of 0.75 aces per set. She had nine aces in the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase.

• The Cavaliers also enter the week ranked second in the GNAC in hitting percentage (.244) and fourth in kills (12.90 per set) and assists (11.93).

• Concordia opens GNAC play at home this weekend with two tough tests, hosting Central Washington on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• The Yellowjackets took four hard-fought losses in the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase. They took a pair of four-set losses to Azusa Pacific on Thursday and Hawaii Hilo on Friday before dropping a five-set match to Humboldt State that saw the fifth set go extra points on Friday. Montana State Billings closed the tourney with a four-set loss on Saturday to Cal State Dominguez Hills.

• Senior outside hitter Stormy Siemion led Montana State Billings with 62 kills, 10 assists, five aces, 53 digs and five blocks in the four matches, led by a 24-kill effort in Friday’s loss to Humboldt State. Siemion enters the week ranked second in the GNAC with 3.85 kills per set and 4.18 points per set and is 22nd in Division II with 11.60 attacks per set.

• Senior outside hitter Ashlynn Ward added totals of 60 kills and 19 digs in the four matches. She enters the week ranked 10th in the GNAC with a .289 hitting percentage.

• Freshman setter Angala Jensen enters the week ranked seventh in the GNAC with 9.31 assists per set and is 27th in Division II with 322 total assists. Junior setter/defensive specialist Mataia Robinson is tied for 16th in Division II with her 16 total aces.

• As a team, Montana State Billings ranks 20th in Division II with 427 total kills, 32nd with 384 team assists and 27th with 1,160 team attacks.

• The Yellowjackets open GNAC play at home, hosting Simon Fraser on Friday and Western Washington on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• The Crusaders was one of five GNAC teams to leave the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase with a 4-0 record. Northwest Nazarene scored a three-set sweep of Cal Poly Pomona on Thursday, a four-set win over UC San Diego on Friday, a three-set sweep of BYU-Hawaii on Friday and a five-set win over Point Loma on Saturday.

• The wins gave Northwest Nazarene a GNAC-best seven-match win streak to open the season and moved the Crusaders to No. 24 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll. They had received votes in each of the first two polls of the season.

• Junior setter Hailey Cook was named to the All-Tournament Team and was also selected as the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week. Cook finished the tournament averaging 10.80 assists in 15 sets and also came away with six service aces. She had her tournament highs in the Crusaders’ five-set win over Point Loma on Friday of 56 assists and 21 digs. Cook leads the GNAC and is 25th in Division II with 10.96 assists per set.

• Junior outside hitter Kendra Bodine led the Crusaders with 53 kills and 40 digs, led by a 13-kill performance in the Thursday sweep of Cal Poly Pomona. Junior middle blocker Madi Farrell finished with 48 kills and 17 blocks in the four matches, paced by 12 kills and a .556 hitting percentage against BYU-Hawaii on Friday.

• Bodine leads the GNAC and is 45th in Division II with 3.89 kills per set and is third with 4.13 points per set. Farrell is third in the GNAC and 32nd in Division II at 1.19 blocks per set and is sixth in the GNAC with a .295 hitting percentage.

•Sophomore libero Shayli Siegfreid leads the GNAC and is fourth in Division II with 6.67 digs per set. She had 97 digs in the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase.

• As a team, Northwest Nazarene ranks second in the GNAC in opponent hitting percentage (.120) and digs (20.00 per set) and third in kills (13.11 per set) and assists (13.11 per set). The Crusaders are ranked eighth in Division II in digs and 26th in opponent hitting percentage.

• Northwest Nazarene opens the GNAC schedule on the road, playing at Western Oregon on Thursday and at Concordia on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• The surprise of the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase, Saint Martin’s went 4-0 in the tournament and is off to their best start to a season as a Division II program.

• After taking a five-set win over Academy of Art on Thursday, the Saints beat Holy Names in three sets on Friday before scoring a four-set win over Notre Dame de Namur and a three-set sweep over Dominican on Saturday.

• Junior outside hitter Rebecca Mitchell was named to the All-Tournament Team after she led Saint Martin’s with 46 kills, 54 digs and four blocks. She finished with double-doubles in three of her four matches, topped by a 10-kill, 22-dig effort in Thursday’s five-set win over Academy of Art that also included a pair of service aces.

• Sophomore middle blocker Brooklyn Tacke racked up nine aces in the tournament. She enters the week ranked second in the GNAC and 31st in Division II with 0.60 aces per set.

• Junior setter Nicolette Nesbitt had 86 assists in the tournament and enters the week ranked 10th in the GNAC with 5.73 assists per set.

• As a team, Saint Martin’s leads the GNAC and is sixth in Division II with 20.27 digs per set. The Saints also led the league and are 13th in Division II with 13.07 assists pet set.

• The wins were the first four for new first year head coach Jon Killingbeck. A graduate of Central Washington, Killingbeck spent the last five seasons at Iona in New Rochelle, New York.

• Saint Martin’s opens the GNAC season on the road, playing at Alaska Anchorage on Friday and at Alaska on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• After going 1-3 in its opening weekend, Seattle Pacific rebounded to go 3-1 at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase. The Falcons scored three-set sweeps of Humboldt State on Thursday and Cal State Dominguez Hills on Friday before taking a five-set loss to Hawaii Hilo on Friday. The Falcons closed the tournament with a five-set win over Azusa Pacific on Saturday.

• Sophomore middle blocker Shaun Crespi was named to the All-Tournament Team. She did her damage for the Falcons on the net, registering 28 total blocks (including five solo) and averages 1.75 blocks in 16 sets. She finished with a tournament high of 11 blocks (two solo, nine assists) in Seattle Pacific’s five-set loss to Hawaii-Hilo on Friday. Crespi enters the week ranked second in the GNAC and sixth in Division II with 1.53 blocks per set and is third in Division II with 46 total blocks.

• Freshman outside hitter Gabby Oddo led the Falcons with 54 kills, five aces and 48 digs in the four matches, led by 19 kills and 13 digs in the win over Azusa Pacific. Oddo is ranked eighth in the GNAC in both kills (3.47 per set) and points (3.80 per set).

• Seattle Pacific is ranked second in the GNAC and eighth in Division II with 2.57 blocks per set. The Falcons also rank fourth in the GNAC in opponent hitting percentage (.151).

• Seattle Pacific opens the GNAC season on the road, playing at Alaska on Thursday and at Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser was among five teams from the GNAC to finish with a 4-0 record at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase. The Clan scored a three-set sweep of San Francisco State on Thursday, a five-set win over Fresno Pacific on Friday and thee-set sweeps of Chaminade and Cal State LA on Saturday.

• Junior libero Alison McKay was one of two SFU players named to the All-Tournament Team. McKay finished the four matches with 90 digs, averaging 6.43 digs per set over 14 sets. She finished with a high of 30 assists in a five-set win over Fresno Pacific on Friday and also had seven assists in Saturday’s three-set victory over Cal State LA. McKay enters the week second in the GNAC and eighth in Division II with 6.29 digs per set.

• Senior setter Tamara Nipp also earned All-Tournament Team honors after she finished the tournament with 143 assists, averaging 10.21 assists per set, and also finished with 10 aces. She had 30 or more assists in each match, topped by a 40-assist effort against Fresno Pacific, and had four aces in Simon Fraser’s opening three-set win over San Francisco State. Nipp is third in the GNAC with 10.04 assists per set and is third in the GNAC and 41st in Division II with 0.57 aces per set.

• Sophomore middle blocker Tessa May finished with 35 kills, a .387 hitting percentage and 16 blocks in the Showcase. She enters the week ranked sixth in the GNAC with 1.07 blocks per set and is seventh with a .294 hitting percentage. Senior outside hitter Devon May led the Clan with 43 kills and 31 digs in the tournament and enters the week ranked 10th in the GNAC with 3.22 kills per set.

• As a team, Simon Fraser is ranked third in the GNAC in opponent hitting percentage (.141) and fourth in digs (17.79 per set). The Clan ranks 41st in Division II in digs per set and 49th in opponent hitting percentage.

• The Clan opens GNAC play on Wednesday, hosting Western Washington in a border clash before traveling to Billings on Friday to face Montana State Billings.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon performed well at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase, going 3-1 to give Tommy Gott his first victories as Wolves’ head coach.

• After taking a four-set loss to Concordia-Irvine on Thursday, the Wolves beat Hawaii Pacific and Chico State in three sets on Friday. They closed the tournament with a four-set win over Stanislaus State.

• Junior outside hitter Alisha Bettinson led the Wolves with 52 kills, 49 digs and six blocks in the four matches. Her performance was topped by a 15-kill, 15-dig effort against Chico State.

• Junior middle blocker Sydney Blankinship finished with 33 kills and a .426 hitting percentage in the four matches, topped by a 14-kill effort against Hawaii Pacific on Friday. The junior is ranked third in the GNAC with a .346 hitting percentage.

• Senior libero Christie Colasurdo had 78 digs in the Showcase and enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC and 48th in Division II with an average of 5.19 digs per set. Her best tournament performance was a 29-dig effort on Saturday against Stanislaus State.

• Western Oregon enters the week ranked third in the GNAC and 17th in Division II with 19.35 digs per set.

• Western Oregon opens its GNAC season at home, hosting Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington went 3-1 in the top pod at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase. The Vikings scored three-set victories over Dixie State on Thursday and Sonoma State on Friday. They ended Friday with a five-set win over Cal Baptist before taking a five-set loss to Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday.

• The loss to Cal State San Bernardino slipped the Vikings five spots to No. 19 in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll.

• Sophomore outside hitter Abby Phelps had a big weekend for the Vikings, leading the team with 47 kills, a .242 hitting percentage, 56 digs and nine blocks. She finished with highs of 15 kills and 10 digs in Friday’s win over Cal Baptist. Phelps enters the week sixth in the GNAC with 3.91 points per set and eighth in with 4.25 digs per set.

• Sophomore middle blocker Kayleigh Harper hit .385 for the tournament with 38 kills and 12 blocks, topped by 12 kills and six blocks in Thursday’s opener over Dixie State. Harper enters the week ranked second in the GNAC and 44th in Division II with a .369 hitting percentage.

• Western Washington leads the GNAC and is 29th in Division II with a .245 hitting percentage. The Vikings also lead the GNAC and is 11th in Division II eith 14.14 kills per set.

• A NCAA Division II national semifinals team last year, Western Washington is still a relatively young program. Of the 18 players on the roster, 14 are either freshman or sophomores. The Vikings return four starters plus their libero from last season and were the unanimous pick to win the GNAC by conference coaches.

• Western Washington opens the GNAC schedule on Wednesday, traveling to Burnaby, B.C., for a border battle with Simon Fraser. The Vikings travel to Montana State Billings on Saturday.

• Western Washington will play all of their 2016 home matches at Bellingham’s Whatcom Community College while their on-campus arena, Carver Gymnasium, undergoes the second year of a two-year renovation.