Wednesday, September 27, 2017

SHOWDOWN AWAITS FOR CONFERENCE’S UNDEFEATED TEAMS: By the end of the week, only one team will have a chance to continue the 2017 GNAC season undefeated.

A long awaited showdown between Northwest Nazarene and Alaska Anchorage takes place on Thursday at NNU’s Johnson Sports Center. Both teams enter the match with unblemished 4-0 records. The Crusaders are riding a 12-0 overall record to start the season while the Seawolves have won five straight matches.

By the numbers, there is little that NNU is doing to hurt themselves. They lead the league and rank 20th in Division II with a .252 hitting percentage and also lead the GNAC in both kills per set (14.12) and assists per set (13.65).

The defending GNAC champs, meanwhile, lead the conference and are ranked 15th in Division II in aces with 2.04 per set. Alaska Anchorage also leads the conference with a .148 opponent hitting percentage. The Crusaders rank second with a .151 hitting percentage.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: After two years playing its home matches at nearby Whatcom Community College, Western Washington could not be happier to be back at Carver Gymnasium after a $75 million renovation project.

The Vikings did not waste time in making sure the homecoming was a winning. Hosting cross-border rival Simon Fraser on Tuesday, Western Washington hit .254 to beat the Clan in four sets. They followed that up with a three-set sweep of Montana State Billings on Thursday.

IN THE POLLS: Thanks to its two home wins, Western Washington reclaimed the No. 10 position in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25. The Vikings had slipped to No. 13 last week after spending the first three polls of the season locked in at No. 10.

After appearing in the poll for the first time this season last week, Northwest Nazarene jumped four spots to No. 12. Alaska Anchorage dropped one position to No. 21. The Crusaders and Seawolves will square off on Thursday night.

Central Washington received votes in the poll for the fifth consecutive week, finishing with 19 points.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Sabrina Wheelhouse, Central Washington
MB • 6-3 • Senior • Eugene, Ore.

Wheelhouse led the Wildcats to a pair of wins in Oregon with 20 kills, a .444 hitting percentage and 16 blocks. She opened the week with an impressive effort of eight kills and 12 blocks in Thursday’s four-set win over Concordia and added 12 kills on a .647 hitting percentage and four blocks in Saturday’s sweep of Western Oregon.

Also Nominated: Leah Swiss (Alaska Anchorage), Maddi Vigil (Montana State Billings), Rebecca Mitchell (Saint Martin’s), Gabby Oddo (Seattle Pacific), Kristen Pinkney (Simon Fraser), Alisha Bettinson (Western Oregon). Michaela Hall (Western Washington).

DEFENSIVE
Keala Kaio-Perez, Alaska Anchorage
DS/L • 5-7 • Senior • Waimanalo, Hawaii

Kaio-Perez paced the Seawolves defensively with 54 digs, averaging 7.71 digs per set, to go along with four aces as UAA went 2-0 at home. She finished with 25 digs, four aces and four assists in the Seawolves’ three-set sweep of Saint Martin’s on Thursday and registered 29 digs and five assists in Saturday’s four-set win over Seattle Pacific.

Also Nominated: Hannah Neumann (Saint Martin’s), Abby Phelps (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
LAST WEEK: Sept. 21: Lost to Seattle Pacific, 3-2. Sept. 22: Beat Saint Martin’s, 3-1.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28: at Central Washington, 7 p.m. Sept. 30, at Northwest Nazarene, 2 p.m..

• Alaska split two home matches last week, snapping a three-match losing streak on Friday with a four-set win over Saint Martin’s.

• Freshman outside hitter Markie Miller led the Nanooks offensively with 33 kills and a .438 hitting percentage. She had 21 kills, five digs and a .462 hitting percentage against Seattle Pacific and added 12 kills and a .400 hitting percentage against Saint Martin’s. Miller enters the week 10th in the GNAC with a .264 hitting percentage.

• Senior outside hitter Maddie Davis added 25 kills in the two matches, led by 13 kills and eight digs in the win over Saint Martin’s. She enters the week with a .259 hitting percentage.

• Sophomore middle blocker Kim Wong is fourth in the GNAC with her .333 hitting percentage while senior middle blocker Riley Podowicz is seventh with a .305 hitting percentage. Alaska is the only GNAC team with three players in the top-10 in hitting percentage.

• Alaska enters the week second in the GNAC and 21st in Division II with a .248 hitting percentage. The Nanooks are third with 13.29 kills per set and 12.23 assists per set and is second in the GNAC and 27th in Division II with 1.90 aces per set.

• At 8-5 overall, Alaska has won its most matches in eight seasons. The Nanooks last won more than seven matches in 2009 (12-15).

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
LAST WEEK: Sept. 21: Beat Saint Martin’s, 3-0. Sept. 23: Beat Seattle Pacific, 3-1.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28: at Northwest Nazarene, 7 p.m. Sept. 30: at Central Washington, 7 p.m.

• The Seawolves improved to 9-4 overall and 4-0 in conference play while extending its winning streak to five matches with a pair of wins over Saint Martin’s and Seattle Pacific.

• With the wins, Alaska Anchorage remained on the AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25 at No. 21, dropping one position from last week.

• Senior defensive specialist Keala Kaio-Perez was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after finishing with 54 digs, 7.71 digs per set and four aces in the two matches. She had 25 digs and four aces against Saint Martin’s and 29 digs and five assists against Seattle Pacific. Kaio-Perez is first in the GNAC and 28th in Division II with 0.53 aces per set and sixth in the GNAC with 4.75 digs per set.

• Junior outside hitter Leah Swiss led the offense with 25 kills in the two matches, paced by a double-double of 12 kills and 14 digs against Seattle Pacific. Junior outside hitter Chrisalyn Johnson had 23 kills and sophomore outside hitter Diana Fa’amausili had 22 kills.

• Alaska Anchorage enters the week leading the GNAC with a .148 opponent hitting percentage. The Seawolves are also first in the GNAC and 15th in Division II with 2.04 aces per set. The team is third in the GNAC and 30th in Division II with 2.27 blocks per set.

• Individually, Swiss and Kaio-Perez are tied for sixth in Division II with 28 service aces. Junior middle blocker Tara Melton is 42nd in Division II with 1.15 blocks per set and 32nd with 54 total blocks.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Sept. 21: Won at Concordia, 3-1. Sept. 23: Won at Western Oregon, 3-0.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28: vs. Alaska, 7 p.m. Sept. 30: vs. Alaska Anchorage, 7 p.m.

• Central Washington won both matches on its Oregon road swing to run its current win streak to three matches.

• Senior middle blocker Sabrina Wheelhouse was named the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after she finished with 20 kills, a .444 hitting percentage and 16 blocks in the two matches. She had eight kills and 12 blocks against Concordia and then had 12 kills and four blocks at Western Oregon. Wheelhouse currently leads Division II with 1.57 blocks per set and is second in the GNAC with her .353 hitting percentage.

• The Wildcats had 24 team blocks in the two matches. In addition to the 16 blocks by Wheelhouse, junior outside hitter Madison Weg had 10 blocks while sophomore outside hitter Bridgette Webb had nine blocks. Central Washington leads the GNAC and is second in Division II with 2.89 blocks per set.

• Junior outside hitter Shelby Mauritson had 23 kills in the two matches, paced by her 12 kills and 12 digs against Concordia. Mauritson is sixth in the GNAC with 3.43 kills per set.

• Central Washington enters the week third in the GNAC with a .153 opponent hitting percentage and fourth with a .215 hitting percentage. The Wildcats are also second in Division II with 133 total team blocks.

CONCORDIA
LAST WEEK: Sept. 21: Lost to Central Washington, 3-1. Sept. 23: Lost to Northwest Nazarene, 3-0.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28: at Western Washington, 7 p.m. Sept. 30: at Simon Fraser, 2 p.m. Oct. 3: vs. Western Oregon, 7 p.m.

• Concordia saw its losing streak go to three matches with a pair of home losses to Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene.

• Senior opposite Lindsey Dorsey led the offensive effort with 23 kills in the two matches. She led all players with 13 kills against Central Washington and had 10 against Northwest Nazarene. Dorsey enters the week ranked eighth in the GNAC with 3.27 kills per set and fifth with 4.06 points per set.

• Senior setter Michele Brown finished with 59 assists in the two matches, which included 39 against Central Washington. She enters the week ranked third in the GNAC with 10.28 assists per set.

• Brown and senior middle blocker Colby Barnette each had three aces as the Cavaliers had nine as a team in the two matches. The Cavaliers are third in the GNAC with 1.59 aces per set.

• As a team, Concordia is fourth in the GNAC in both kills per set (12.98) and assists per set (12.22) and is ranked fifth in blocks per set (1.94).

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
LAST WEEK: Sept. 19: Lost at Rocky Mountain, 3-0. Sept. 21: Lost at Western Washington, 3-0. Sept. 23: Lost at Simon Fraser, 3-1.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28: vs. Seattle Pacific, 7 p.m. Sept. 30: vs. Saint Martin’s, 7 p.m.

• After opening the GNAC schedule with a five-set win over Alaska, the Yellowjackets have lost four straight matches.

• Freshman outside hitter Maddi Vigil led MUSB with 29 kills in the three matches. She led the Yellowjackets with nine kills against Western Washington and added a 13-kill performance at Simon Fraser. Vigil enters the week ranked seventh in the GNAC with 3.27 kills per set and 10th with 3.61 points per set.

• Freshman defensive specialist Izela Alvarez continues to lead the GNAC and is 24th in Division II with 5.71 digs per set. She had 63 digs in the three matches, topped by 23 digs against Western Washington.

• Freshman middle blocker Hali Ehresmann had 10 blocks in the three matches, paced by four blocks against Western Washington. Junior middle blocker Miranda McConnell finished the three matches with a .327 hitting percentage with 24 kills.

• Montana State Billings enters the week with a .179 hitting percentage with 11.76 kills per set. The Yellowjackets rank third in the GNAC with 18.38 digs per set.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
LAST WEEK: Sept. 21: Beat Western Oregon, 3-2. Sept. 23: Beat Concordia, 3-0.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28: vs. Alaska Anchorage, 7 p.m. Sept. 30: vs Alaska, 2 p.m.

• Northwest Nazarene escaped their Oregon road trip with an undefeated record, but had to come back from two sets down to beat Western Oregon in five sets on Thursday.

• The wins allowed the Crusaders to move up four spots to No. 12 in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll.

• Senior outside hitter Kendra Bodine paced the Crusaders offensively with 37 kills and 4.62 kills per set. She came up big with 25 kills and 13 digs in the win at Western Oregon and added 12 kills and 11 digs at Concordia. Bodine is second in the GNAC and 17th in Division II with 4.26 kills per set. She is also second in the league and 18th in Division II with 4.78 points per set.

• Senior middle blocker Madi Farrell had a .483 hitting percentage with 22 kills to go along with eight blocks in the two matches, paced by a 15-kill, five-block performance against Concordia. Farrell leads the GNAC and sixth in Division II with a .438 hitting percentage. She also leads the GNAC and ranks 17th in Division II with 4.26 kills per set.

• Senior setter Hailey Cook averaged 10.12 kills per set in the two matches, paced by 51 assists in the five-set win at Western Oregon. Cook currently leads the GNAC and is fifth in Division II with 11.83 assists per set.

• The Crusaders lead the GNAC and are 20th in Division II with a .252 hitting percentage. They also lead the GNAC and rank 14th in Division II with 14.12 kills per set as well lead the GNAC and rank ninth in Division II with 13.65 assists per set. The Crusaders also rank second in the GNAC in opponent hitting percentage (.151) and digs (18.42 per set) and fourth in blocks (2.06 per set).

SAINT MARTIN’S
LAST WEEK: Sept. Sept. 21: Lost at Alaska Anchorage, 3-0. Sept. 22: Lost at Alaska, 3-1. Sept. 26: Lost at Seattle Pacific, 3-2.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 22: at Montana State Billings, 7 p.m.

• After splitting on the opening weekend of GNAC play, Saint Martin’s has lost its last three matches, all on the road. The Saints finish the week on Saturday at Montana State Billings.

• Senior outside hitter Rebecca Mitchell finished with 45 kills over the last three matches. She finished with 15 kills and 14 digs against Alaska Anchorage and 17 kills and 13 digs against Alaska. Mitchell ranks fifth in the GNAC with 3.73 kills per set and sixth with 4.03 points per set. She is also ranked 25th in Division II with 11.40 attacks per set.

•Senior setter Nicolette Nesbitt added 73 assists to her total and enters the week sixth in the GNAC with 9.30 assists per set. Her week was topped by 30 assists in the loss at Alaska.

• Freshman middle blocker Kamille Langford came alive for 11 blocks in the two matches, topped by eight blocks in the win over Concordia. Langford enters the week sixth in the GNAC and 45th in Division II with 1.19 blocks per set (32 total).

• Saint Martin’s enters the week with a .161 hitting percentage and 11.79 kills and 16.74 digs per set.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
LAST WEEK: Sept. 21: Won at Alaska, 3-2. Sept. 23: Lost as Alaska Anchorage, 3-1. Sept. 26: Beat Saint Martin’s, 3-2.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28: at Montana State Billings, 7 p.m..

• Seattle Pacific improved to 8-5 record and 3-2 in GNAC play by going 2-1 over the last week, which included five-set wins over Alaska on Thursday and at home against Saint Martin’s on Tuesday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Gabby Oddo finished with 60 kills in the three matches. She finished with 22 kills and a .372 hitting percentage against Alaska and added 20 kills and 10 assists against Saint Martin’s. Oddo enters the week ninth in the GNAC with 3.25 kills per set and eighth with 3.64 points per set.

• Freshman outside hitter Olivia Turner had 41 kills in the four matches. She had an impressive 22-kill effort in the win over Alaska.

• Junior setter Symone Tran has moved up to fourth in the GNAC with 9.69 assists per set. She had 58 assists and 10 digs in the win over Alaska and added 54 assists and 14 digs in the win over Saint Martin’s. Tran is also ranked 50th in Division II with 469 total assists.

• Seattle Pacific enters the week with a .190 hitting percentage and averages of 12.20 kills and 15.63 digs per set. The Falcons are fourth in the GNAC with a .184 opponent hitting percentage.

SIMON FRASER
LAST WEEK: Sept. 19: Lost at Western Washington, 3-1. Sept. 23: Beat Montana State Billings, 3-1.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28: vs. Western Oregon, 7 p.m. Sept. 30: vs. Concordia, 2 p.m.

• A home match was all Simon Fraser needed to get back in the win column. The Clan snapped a four-match losing streak with a four-set win over Montana State Billings on Saturday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Kirsten Pinkney led the Clan with 29 kills in the two matches, which included 11 kills against Western Washington and 18 kills against Montana State Billings. Pinkney is 10th in the GNAC with 2.97 kills per set

• Junior middle blocker Tessa May finished with 20 kills and a .300 hitting percentage in the two matches, topped by a 12-kill performance at Western Washington. May enters the week ranked sixth in the GNAC and 47th in Division II with 1.14 blocks per set and is ninth in the GNAC with a .277 hitting percentage.

• Freshman outside hitter Mia Ricci had an impressive performance against Montana State Billings with 19 kills and a .283 hitting percentage.

• Junior libero Jayme Bratsberg enters the week second in the GNAC with 5.16 digs per set. She had 50 digs in the two matches last week.

• As a team, Simon Fraser enters the week with a .169 hitting percentage and 11.84 kills per set. The Clan is fourth in the GNAC and 34th in Division II in digs at 18.27 per set.

WESTERN OREGON
LAST WEEK: Sept. 21: Lost to Northwest Nazarene, 3-2. Sept. 23: Lost to Central Washington, 3-0.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28: at Simon Fraser, 7 p.m. Sept. 30: at Western Washington, 7 p.m.

• Western Oregon came close to knocking off undefeated Northwest Nazarene, but the Crusaders bounced back from two sets down to defeat the Wolves in five sets. Western Oregon is now on a three-match losing streak.

• Senior outside hitter Alisha Bettinson had 39 kills in the two matches and led all GNAC players last week with 4.88 kills per set. She finished with 23 kills and 16 digs against Northwest Nazarene and added 16 kills against Central Washington. Bettinson enters the week leading the GNAC and ranked 16th in Division II with 4.26 kills per set. She is also third in the GNAC and 22nd in Division II with 4.60 points per set.

• Junior defensive specialist Mackenzie Bowen added 35 digs in the two matches, coming up with 29 against Northwest Nazarene. Bowen ranks ninth in the GNAC with 4.64 digs per set.

• Western Oregon enters the week with a .189 hitting percentage, averaging 12.31 kills and 17.59 digs per set. Individually, junior setter Maddie Mehciz is ninth in the GNAC with 5.59 assists per set.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Sept. 19: Beat Simon Fraser, 3-1. Sept. 21: Beat Montana State Billings, 3-0.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28: vs. Concordia, 7 p.m. Sept. 30: vs. Western Oregon, 7 p.m.

• Western Washington returned to action in Carver Gymnasium for the first time in two years with a pair of victories over Simon Fraser and Montana State Billings.

• With the victories, the Vikings climbed three spots to No. 10 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25. Western Washington had dropped to No. 13 last week after having been ranked No. 10 in the first three polls of the season.

• Senior outside hitter Abby Phelps finished with 30 kills, 4.29 kills per set 48 digs in the two matches. She led the Vikings in the Carver opener with 19 kills and 31 digs against Simon Fraser and then added 11 kills and 17 digs against Montana State Billings. Phelps enters the week fourth in the GNAC in both kills per set (3.80) and points per set (4.38). She is 11th in Division II in attacks per set (11.78), 43rd in points per set and 46th in kills per set.

• Junior middle blocker Michaela Hall finished with 29 kills, a .381 hitting percentage and 11 blocks in the two matches. She had 18 kills and six blocks against Simon Fraser and 11 kills and five blocks against Montana State Billings. Hall ranks third in the GNAC with her .338 hitting percentage and eighth with 1.09 blocks per set.

• Western Washington enters the week leading the GNAC and 21st in Division II with 19.07 digs per set. The Vikings are third in the GNAC and 24th in Division II with a .248 hitting percentage and are 15th in Division II with 14.11 kills per set.