Thursday, November 3, 2016

NORTHWEST FLAVOR IN REGIONAL RANKINGS: The NCAA Regional Rankings will ultimately determine which teams will compete in the eight-team West Regional Tournament. Based on the first edition of the rankings, released Wednesday, it could end up being a GNAC tournament.

The GNAC landed five teams in the West Region Rankings, more than any other conference in the west. Alaska Anchorage leads the way at No. 1 with Western Washington No. 3 and Simon Fraser No. 4. Northwest Nazarene opens at No. 6 while Central Washington is on the rankings at No. 8.

Should the ranking positions hold, five teams for the GNAC in a regional tournament would be unprecedented. The conference had three teams in the 2015 NCAA West Regional, with Western Washington winning the regional title.

IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS: Alaska Anchorage used its two road wins to maintain its No. 11 ranking in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll. Western Washington is climbing ever so close, though, using it’s 11-match win streak to climb two more spots to No. 15.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: The GNAC stands to be one of the better defensive conferences in all of Division II. Three GNAC teams continue to rank in the Division II top-50 in blocks per set, with Central Washington leading the nation with 2.99 blocks per set. In addition, six GNAC teams are ranked in the national top-50 in digs. Simon Fraser leads the way as it is sixth in Division II with 19.48 digs per set.

PACKING THEM IN: The crowd at the Oct. 28 Western Washington/Alaska Anchorage match was the second largest for a Division II volleyball match this season. A total of 1,762 fans packed into the Alaska Airlines Center. The largest crowd for a match this season was the 1,900 that saw Texas A&M-Kingsville play Tarleton State on Oct. 18.

Alaska Anchorage continues to lead Division II in average attendance with 1,130 fans per match over 11 matches. The Seawolves have welcomed eight of the top-20 crowds in Division II this season.

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.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Tamara Nipp, Simon Fraser
S • 5-9 • Senior • Vancouver, B.C.

Nipp finished with 81 assists in six sets, averaging 13.50 per set, as the Clan scored three-set sweeps of Concordia and Western Oregon to go along with 14 digs, five blocks and an ace. She had 39 assists and four blocks in the win over Concordia on Friday and added 42 assists in the win over Western Oregon.

Also Nominated: Kayleigh Harper (Western Washington), Hannah Lautenbach (Seattle Pacific), Morgan Hooe (Alaska Anchorage), Madi Farrell (Northwest Nazarene), Lindsey Dorsey (Concordia), Stormy Siemion (Montana State Billings).

DEFENSIVE
Mae Thungc, Western Washington
DS/L • 5-4 • Freshman • Kent, Wash.

Thungc finished with 33 digs in six matches, averaging 5.50 digs per set, as the Vikings scored three-set sweeps over Western Oregon and Concordia. She finished with 21 digs in the win over the Wolves and 12 in the win over Concordia.

Also Nominated: Shayli Siegfreid (Northwest Nazarene), Allie Spear (Concordia), Faith Taylor (Montana State Billings).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska saw its current losing streak extend to 13 matches with losses to Alaska Anchorage in three sets a last Tuesday and in four sets to Montana State Billings on Saturday,

• Junior outside hitter Angela Molesworth paced UAF with 26 kills and an average of 3.71 kills per set in the two matches. She led the Nanooks with 23 kills and a .346 hitting percentage against Montana State Billings.

• Junior setter Rachel Nichols finished with 75 assists in the two matches, averaging 10.71 assists per set. She finished with 53 assists in the four-set loss to Montana State Billings. Nichols enters the week seventh in the GNAC with 9.38 assists per set.

• The Nanooks continue to rank third in the GNAC with 1.47 aces per set. Junior Riley Podowicz is sixth individuall with an average of 0.38 aces per set.

• Senior defensive specialist Meagan Olsen is 10th in the GNAC in digs, averging 4.00 per set. She had 37 in the Nanooks’ last two matches, led by 22 against Montana State Billings.

• Alaska is on the Oregon road trip this week, playing at Western Oregon Thursday and at Concordia on Saturday.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage avenged its five-set loss to Western Washington with two home wins. defeating Alaska in three sets last Tuesday and beating Montana State Billings in three sets on Thursday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Chrisalyn Johnson led the offense with 24 kills in the two matches. She finished with weekend highs of 13 kills, two aces and 11 digs in the win over Montana State Billings.

• Sophomore outside hitter Leah Swiss had 20 kills and hit .439 in the two matches, paced by a 13-kill performance against Alaska. Swiss enters the week fifth in the GNAC with 3.39 kills per set and second with 4.04 points per set.

• Sophomore libero Kyla Militante-Amper enters the week second in the GNAC and seventh in Division II with 5.92 digs per set. She is also 18th in Division II with 521 total digs. She added 24 digs last week, with 14 in the match against Alaska.

• Alaska Anchorage maintained its No. 11 ranking in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll and is ranked No. 1 in the first NCAA Division II West Region Rankings of the year.

• Alaska Anchorage continues to lead Division II in attendance, averaging 1,130 fans per match. The Seawolves have attracted eight of the top-20 crowds this season, topped by the 1,762 fans that saw the match against Western Washington on Oct. 22, the second most fans in Division II this season.

• The Seawolves enter the week leading the GNAC in opponent hitting percentage (.108) and service aces (1.89 per set) and is second in hitting percentage (.231) and kills (13.64 per set). In the NCAA Division II stats, the Seawolves are fourth in win/loss percentage (.920) and 10th in blocks (2.33 per set).

• Alaska Anchorage is in Oregon this week, playing at Concordia on Friday and at Western Oregon on Saturday.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington split its matches for the second straight week. The Wildcats took a five-set loss at Seattle Pacific on Thursday before beating Saint Martin’s in three sets on Saturday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Shelby Mauritson led the way for the Wildcats with 23 kills in the two matches, topped by a 12-kill effort in the loss to Central Washington.

• Senior outside hitter Jordan Deming finished with 15 kills in the two matches and had shared the team lead with senior outside hitter Kiah Jones with 13 kills in the win over Saint Martin’s.

• Central Washington continues to lead Division II in blocks, averaging 2.99 per set. Junior middle blocker Sabrina Wheelhouse added 10 blocks last week. Her total of 1.63 blocks per set leads the GNAC and is second in Division II. Senior middle blocker Erin Little is fourth in the GNAC and 13th in Division II with 1.26 blocks per set. She added 11 blocks in the two matches last week.

• Wheelhouse also ranks sixth in the GNAC with a .293 hitting percentage.

• Central Washington is one of five GNAC teams in the first NCAA Division II West Region Rankings of the season, entering at No. 8.

• In addition to blocks per set, Central Washington is fourth in Division II with 242.5 total blocks and is 19th with 38.68 team attacks per set.
• Central Washington is home for its next two matches, hosting Simon Fraser on Thursday and Western Washington on Saturday.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia saw its four-match win streak come to an end with two losses on the road. The Cavaliers fell in three sets to Simon Fraser on Friday and in three sets to Western Washington on Saturday.

• Junior outside hitter Lindsey Dorsey finished with 23 kills, 19 digs and a .333 hitting percentage in the two matches. She had 12 kills and hit .296 in Friday’s loss to Simon Fraser. Dorsey enters the week ranked eighth in the GNAC with an average of 3.22 kills per set.

• Junior middle blocker Colby Barnette added seven blocks to her total, four of which came in Friday’s match against Simon Fraser. Barnette enters the week seventh in the GNAC with 1.13 blocks per set and ninth with a .286 hitting percentage.

• Junior setter Michele Brown is third in the GNAC with her average of 11.09 assists per set. She had 62 assists in the last two matches, including 32 against Western Washington.

• As a team, Concordia is second in the GNAC in service aces (1.66 per set) and third in hitting percentage (.226).

• On Sept. 17, Concordia broke the GNAC record for blocks in a four-set match with 21. That surpassed the record of 20 held by six different teams, most recently Northwest Nazarene vs. Seattle Pacific on 11/12/15.

• Concordia hosts Alaska Anchorage on Friday and Alaska on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings went 2-1 last week. The Yellowjackets beat Rocky Mountain on Tuesday in four sets and took a three-set loss at Alaska Anchorage. They bounced back to take a four-set win over Alaska.

• Senior outside hitter Stormy Siemion finished with 37 kills in the three matches, averaging 3.36 per set. She had 14 kills against Rocky Mountain and 18 kills at Alaska. Siemion is third in the GNAC with 3.46 kills per set and is 18th in Division II with 11.61 attacks per set.

• Senior outside hitter Ashlynn Ward added 38 kills and averaged 3.45 per set in three matches. She had a weekend high of 15 kills and hit .583 in the four-set win over Alaska. Ward Ward is second in the GNAC with 3.61 kills per set.

• Freshman defensive specialist Faith Taylor finished with 53 digs in the two matches. She had 17 off the bench in the win over Alaska and had 27 in the win over Rocky Mountain.

• Junior defensive specialist Mataia Robinson had four aces in the two matches and is ninth in the GNAC with an average of 0.32 aces per set.

• As a team, Montana State Billings is eighth in the GNAC with 12.19 kills per set and ninth with a .171 hitting percentage.

• Montana State Billings is home for its next two matches, hosting Saint Martin’s on Thursday and Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene is on a four-match win streak, scoring a three-set sweep of Saint Martin’s on Thursday and a four-set victory over Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

• Junior middle blocker Madi Farrell had another big week for the Crusaders, finishing with 31 kills, a .500 hitting percentage and nine blocks in the two matches. She finished with highs of 23 kills and five blocks and hit .568 in the win over Seattle Pacific. Farrell enters the week second in the GNAC and 50th in Division II with a .343 hitting percentage. She is also third in the GNAC and 12th in Division II with 1.26 blocks per set.

• Junior outside hitter Kendra Bodine finished with 28 kills in the two matches, topped by a 19-kill performance against Seattle Pacific.

• Junior setter Hailey Cook leads the GNAC and is 13th in Division II with an average of 11.41 assists per set. She had 85 assists in the two matches, topped by 54 in the win over Seattle Pacific.

• As a team, Northwest Nazarene is second in the GNAC with 12.95 assists per set and is third with a .157 opponent hitting percentage and 13.53 kills per set. The Crusaders are 19th in Division II in assists per set.

• One of five GNAC teams to be listed in the NCAA Division II West Region Rankings, Northwest Nazarene is No. 6 in the opening poll of the season.

• Northwest Nazarene returns home this week to host Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s took a pair of three-set losses last week. The Saints fell to Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday. The Saints opened the week with a three-set loss at Seattle Pacific.

• Junior outside hitter Rebecca Mitchell had 15 kills in the two matches, topped by eight kills against Central Washington. Mitchell’s 2.96 kills per set is 13th best in the GNAC.

• Sophomore outside hitter Rachel Gondrezick led the Saints with eight kills against Northwest Nazarene and added 12 kills to lead SMU against Seattle Pacific. She is 14th in the GNAC with 2.90 killls per set.

• As a team, Saint Martin’s is seventh in the GNAC with a .186 hitting percentage and eighth with 16.73 digs per set.

• Sophomore middle blocker Brooklyn Tacke enters the week ranked eighth in the GNAC with 0.32 aces per set. Sophomore libero Cassidy Apo is ninth in the GNAC with 4.28 digs per set while junior setter Nicolette Nesbitt is 10th with 6.30 assists per set.

• Saint Martin’s finishes the week at Montana State Billings on Thursday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific has won two of its last three matches. The Falcons outlasted Central Washington in a five-set battle on Thursday before dropping a four-set match to Northwest Nazarene on Saturday. They opened the week with a three-set sweep of Saint Martin’s on Tuesday.

• Junior outside hitter Hannah Lautenbach finished with 28 kills in the two weekend matches, 14 in each match, and led the Falcons with 12 kills at Saint Martin’s. Junior outside hitter Colleen Hannigan led SPU against Central Washington with 16 kills.

• Sophomore setter Symone Tran had 100 assists in the two weekend matches, averaging 11.11 per set in nine matches. She finished with 53 assists against Central Washington and then added 39 against Saint Martin’s. Tran enters the week fifth in the GNAC with 10.21 assists per set.

• Sophomore middle blocker Shaun Crespi continues to rank among the national leaders in blocks, ranking second in the GNAC and fourth in Division II with 1.53 blocks per set. Crespi had 12 blocks in the two weekend matches, nine of which came against Central Washington.

• As a team, Seattle Pacific is second in the GNAC and fifth in Division II with 2.43 blocks per set. The Falcons are also fourth in the GNAC in opponent hitting percentage (.169).

• Seattle Pacific wraps up the week at Montana State Billings on Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser has now won its last three matches and four of its last five. The Clan swept its matches over the Oregon teams in three sets, knocking off Concordia on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.

• Setter Tamara Nipp was named GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after she averaged 13.50 assists per set in the two matches and had 81 total assists. Nipp had 39 assists and four blocks against Concordia and had 42 assists against Western Oregon. Nipp enters the week second in the GNAC and 16th in Division II with 11.31 assists per set.

• Freshman outside hitter Kirsten Pinkney and senior outside hitter Emma Jennings each had 22 kills in the two matches. Pinkney led the Clan with 14 kills off the bench against Concordia and Jennings led SFU with 11 kills against Western Oregon.

• Sophomore middle blocker Tessa May added eight blocks and 16 kills and hit .382 in the two matches, topped by 10 kills and five blocks against Western Oregon. May enters the week fifth in the GNAC and 18th in Division II with 1.21 blocks per set. She is also eighth in the GNAC with a .286 hitting percentage.

• Senior defensive specialist Alison McKay leads the GNAC and is second in Division II with 6.66 digs per set. She added 48 digs in the last two matches.

• Simon Fraser is fourth in the first NCAA West Region Rankings and is one of five GNAC teams to be ranked.

• Simon Fraser enters the week leading the GNAC with 19.48 digs per set and is second with a .149 hitting percentage. The Clan is 10th in Division II with 39.45 team attacks per set.

• Simon Fraser plays at Central Washington on Thursday and at Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• After winning two home matches, the Wolves dropped a pair of three-set road matches at Western Washington on Thursday and at Simon Fraser on Saturday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Mariella Vandenkooy led Western Oregon at Western Washington with 12 kills while junior outside hitter Alisha Bettinson had 10 kills. Sophomore outside hitter Amanda Short had eight kills to lead WOU at Simon Fraser.

• Senior defensive specialist Christie Colasurdo finished with 36 digs in the two matches, led by 19 against Western Washington. She enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC with 5.24 digs per set.

• Junior middle blocker Sydney Blankinship is fifth in the GNAC with a .293 hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Maddie Mehciz is sixth in the GNAC with 10.14 assists per set.

• As a team, Western Oregon is second in the GNAC and 11th in Division II with 19.05 digs per set.

• Western Oregon is home for its next four matches. The Wolves host the Alaska schools this week with Alaska visiting on Thursday and Alaska Anchorage visiting on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington ran its win streak to 11 matches with its second and third three-set sweeps in its last four matches, beating Western Oregon on Thursday and Concordia on Saturday.

• Freshman defensive specialist Mae Thungc was named GNAC Defensive Player of the Week as she finished with 33 digs in the two matches, topped by 21 digs against Western Oregon. Thungc is sixth in the GNAC with 4.71 digs per set.

• Sophomore middle blocker Kayleigh Harper led the Vikings with 19 kills in the two matches, 13 of which came in the victory over Western Oregon. Harper enters the week leading the GNAC and ranked 48th in Division II with a .345 hitting percentage. Harper is also eighth in the GNAC with 1.06 blocks per set.

• Sophomore middle blocker Michaela Hall enters the week seveth in the GNAC with a .288 hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Brette Boesel is ninth in the GNAC with 7.06 assists per set while sophomore outside hitter Abby Phelps is ninth with 3.11 kills per set.

• Western Washington climbed two spots to No. 15 in the latest AVCA Division II Coaches Poll. In the first NCAA West Region Rankings, the Vikings are No. 3.

• As a team, Western Washington leads the GNAC and is 18th in Division II with a .250 hitting percentage. The Vikings also lead the GNAC and rank 17th in Division II with 13.88 kills per set.

• Western Washington plays its final regular season road matches this week, playing at Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and at Central Washington on Saturday.

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