Wednesday, November 7, 2018

YEAH THEY DID: The question of whether or not Western Washington would have to share the GNAC championship trophy was easily answered on Thursday.

The Vikings left little doubt as it limited Western Oregon to just a .019 hitting percentage to score a three-set victory and clinch the outright championship and the conference’s automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division II Championships. It is Western Washington’s second consecutive championship and its ninth GNAC title overall.

Combined with a three-set sweep of Concordia on Saturday, the Vikings have won 23 straight matches. They have not lost a match since dropping the first three matches of the season at West Florida Invitational on Aug. 24 and 25, all against top-25 ranked teams. During the win streak, Western Washington has given up 10 sets overall and just five in conference play.

With two wins, Western Washington would set a GNAC record with 20 conference wins and become just the sixth team in conference history to run through the league schedule undefeated. Seattle Pacific was the last undefeated conference team, going 16-0 in 2006.

WAITING FOR SELECTION SUNDAY: There is a lot to play for in the final weekend of the season. Western Washington enters ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division II West Region Rankings and would like two more wins to try and lock in the seed and the right to host next week’s West Regional Championships. Central Washington is at No. 6 in the West Region Rankings while Alaska Anchorage slipped to No. 10. The top-eight ranked teams in the final ranking on Sunday will be selected for the tournament. The Selection Show will stream on NCAA.com on Sunday at 7 p.m. (Pacific).

POINT NOOKS: No team has improved as much this season as Alaska did. Picked to finish seventh in the GNAC Preseason Poll, the Nanooks secured their first winning conference season since 2004 with weekend victories over Saint Martin’s and Seattle Pacific. One win in the team’s final two matches would secure the program’s first .500 or better season since 2004. Alaska enters the week having won three straight matches and 10 of their last 12 matches.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Tessa May, Simon Fraser
MB • 6-3 • Senior • Robert’s Creek, B.C.

May led the Clan to wins over Concordia and Western Oregon with 31 kills and a .547 hitting percentage. In the three-set sweep of Concordia on Thursday, May finished with 15 kills, five digs, two blocks and a .519 hitting percentage. May then returned to finish with 16 kills, six digs, two blocks and a .577 hitting percentage of Saturday’s sweep of Western Oregon.

Also Nominated: Cate Whiting (Alaska), Madison Weg (Central Washington), Symone Tran (Seattle Pacific), Abby Phelps (Western Washington).

DEFENSIVE
Kyla Morgan, Central Washington
DS/L • 5-4 • Junior • Graham, Wash.

Morgan finished with 37 digs to go along with five assists in the Wildcats’ sweep of Northwest Nazarene and Montana State Billings. She finished 19 digs and four assists on Tuesday against Northwest Nazarene and then came up with 18 digs and an assist in Thursday’s win over the Yellowjackets.

Also Nominated: Izela Alvarez (Montana State Billings), Bianca Te (Simon Fraser), Kayleigh Harper (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska is back to its winning ways after posting a three-set sweep over Saint Martin’s on Thursday and a four-set win over Seattle Pacific on Saturday. The Nanooks have now won their last three matches and 10 of their last 12.

• Junior outside hitter Lahra Weber once again led the Nanooks with 30 kills in the two matches. She led all players with 15 kills, four aces and six digs against Saint Martin’s and added a double-double of 15 kills and 13 digs against Seattle Pacific. Weber is fourth in the GNAC with 3.66 kills and 4.20 points per set.

• Junior middle blocker Kim Wong added totals of 23 kills and six blocks last week. Almost all of her offense came against Seattle Pacific where she finished with 19 kills, a .517 hitting percentage and three blocks. Wong is averaging 1.79 kills and 0.99 blocks per set.

• Sophomore setter Cate Whiting had another big all-around week with 82 assists, 10 kills, 18 digs and three blocks. She posted totals of 31 assists, five digs and four kills against Saint Martin’s and then finished with 51 assists, 13 digs and six kills with a .600 hitting percentage against Seattle Pacific. Whiting is fifth in the GNAC with 9.91 assists per set.

• With last week’s victories, Alaska has assured itself of its first season with a .500 or better conference record since 2004 and need to more wins to match its all-time GNAC high of 13 conference wins from 2002. One more win will assure UAF its first overall record of .500 or better since 2004.

• Alaska enters the week fifth in the GNAC with a .182 hitting percentage. The Nanooks are fifth in the GNAC with 12.20 kills per set, 11.76 assists per set and 1.55 aces per set.

• Alaska closes the 2018 season on the road, playing at Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and at Central Washington on Saturday.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage split in its final home weekend of the season, falling to Seattle Pacific in five sets on Thursday before beating Saint Martins’s in four sets on Saturday.

• Junior middle blocker Vanessa Boyer led the Seawolves with 25 kills and 17 digs in the two matches. She led UAA against Seattle Pacific with 16 kills, five digs and three blocks. Boyer then added nine kills and 12 digs against Saint Martin’s. Boyer enters the week averaging 2.55 kills and 1.27 digs per set.

• Senior outside hitter Chrisalyn Johnson finished with 18 kills, 20 digs and four blocks in the two matches. She opened with five kills and 14 digs against Seattle Pacific before registering 13 kills, four aces, six digs and four blocks against Saint Martin’s. Johnson is averaging 2.76 kills and 3.31 digs per set and is 10th in the GNAC with 0.32 aces per set.

• Sophomore middle blocker Vera Pluharova put together an effort of 13 kills and 11 blocks. She had six of her blocks against Seattle Pacific before adding eight kills and five blocks with a .583 hitting percentage against Saint Martin’s. Pluharova enters the week fourth in the GNAC and 31st in Division II with 1.19 blocks per set.

• Alaska Anchorage enters the week fourth in the GNAC with 13.07 kills per set and a .217 hitting percentage. The Seawolves lead the league with 1.64 aces per set. In addition, UAA is third in the GNAC and 23rd in Division II with 2.31 blocks per set.

• Alaska Anchorage dropped to No. 10 in the final NCAA Division II West Region Rankings prior to Selection Sunday.

• Alaska Anchorage will close out the regular season on the road, playing at Central Washington on Thursday and at Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington is back to a seven-match win streak after knocking off Northwest Nazarene last Tuesday and Montana State Billings on Thursday, both in three sets.

• Junior libero Kyla Morgan was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after she finished with 37 digs to go along with five assists last week. She finished 19 digs and four assists against Northwest Nazarene and then came up with 18 digs and an assist against Montana State Billings. Morgan enters the week leading the GNAC and 14th in Division II with 5.94 digs per set.

• Senior outside hitter Shelby Mauritson led the offense with 25 kills and a .323 hitting percentage last week. Mauritson opened the week with 13 kills and nine digs against Northwest Nazarene and then added 13 kills, eight digs and two aces against Montana State Billings. Mauritson enters the week ranked second in the GNAC and 34th in Division II with 3.85 kills per set.

• Senior outside hitter Madison Weg was just as potent, finishing with 24 kills and a .575 hitting percentage in the two matches. She finished with 11 kills, nine digs and a .435 hitting percentage against Northwest Nazarene and then added 13 kills and five digs with a .765 hitting percentage against MSUB. Weg is 10th in the GNAC with a .265 hitting percentage and 3.48 points per set.

• Central Washington is fourth among teams receiving votes in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25 Poll with 46 points. The Wildcats remain at No. 6 in the latest NCAA Division II West Region Rankings.

• Central Washington enters the week leading the GNAC and ranked sixth in Division II with 13.83 assists per set. The Wildcats also lead the GNAC and are fifth in Division II with 14.72 kills per set while ranking 20th in Division II with a .253 hitting percentage.

• Central Washington is home to close the regular season, hosting Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and Alaska on Saturday.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia took two losses around the border last week, falling to Simon Fraser on Thursday and Western Washington on Thursday in three sets. The Cavaliers rebounded to beat Western Oregon at home on Tuesday in three.

• Junior outside hitter Jessica Wheeler led the Cavaliers last week with 19 kills and 12 digs. She finished with eight kills and six digs at Simon Fraser and tallied 11 kills and six digs at Western Washington. Wheeler then finished with 12 kills and five digs in the win over Western Oregon. Wheeler leads Concordia with 2.48 kills per set.

• Sophomore middle blocker Elyssa Rose led the Cavaliers in the win over Western Oregon with 14 kills, three digs and a .571 hitting percentage. She also has nine blocks in the two matches last week, paced by her five at Western Washington. Rose enters the week ranked eighth in the GNAC with 1.09 blocks per set.

• Freshman libero Callie Wilkins was solid defensively once again, finishing with 39 digs last week. She finished with 21 digs at Simon Fraser and 18 digs at Western Washington before finishing with 10 digs against Western Oregon. Wilkins is second in the GNAC and 31st in Division II with 5.57 digs per set.

• Concordia enters the week averaging 11.98 kills and 17.22 digs per set with a.156 hitting percentage. The Cavaliers are fifth in the GNAC and 42nd in Division II with 2.16 blocks per set.

• Concordia will conclude the 2018 season at Montana State Billings on Thursday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings split its matches on the final road trip of the season, falling at Central Washington in three sets on Thursday before beating Northwest Nazarene in four sets on Saturday.

• Freshman outside hitters Riley Moore and Skylar Reed and senior middle blocker Miranda McConnell each finished with 16 kills in the two matches. Reed led the Yellowjackets with eight kills at Central Washington. Moore came off the bench for 10 kills at Northwest Nazarene and McConnell had nine kills and five blocks against the Nighthawks. McConnell is 11th in the GNAC with her .261 hitting percentage. Reed is averaging 2.04 kills per set while Moore is averaging 2.01 kills per set.

• Freshman middle blocker Eavan Taylor added 10 blocks to her season total of 112 last week. She had seven of those blocks in the victory over Northwest Nazarene. Taylor is averaging 1.01 blocks per set.

• Sophomore libero Itzel Alvarez finished with 30 digs in the two matches, punctuated by her 20 against Northwest Nazarene to go along with two assists and an ace. Alvarez is ranked seventh in the GNAC with 4.55 digs per set.

• Montana State Billings enters the week averaging 11.26 kills and 15.85 digs per set with a .164 hitting percentage.

• The Yellowjackets close the season at home, hosting Concordia on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene dropped both matches last week, falling in three sets at Central Washington on Tuesday before taking a four-set loss to Montana State Billings on Saturday.

• Senior outside hitter Cami Heninger once again paced the Nighthawks’ offense with 23 kills and 31 digs in the two matches. She led NNU with nine kills and 14 digs at Central Washington and posted a double-double of 14 kills and 17 digs along with three blocks against Montana State Billings. Heninger enters the week averaging 2.52 kills and 3.89 digs per set.

• Senior libero Shayli Siegfreid added 40 digs in the two matches, finishing with 19 at Central Washington and 21 against Montana State Billings. Siegfreid enters the week ranked third in the GNAC and 37th in Division II with 5.44 digs per set.

• Junior outside hitter Kayla Sale came up with 17 kills and 22 digs in the pair of matches, highlighted by her 11 kills and 16 digs against Montana State Billings. Sale enters the week averaging 1.67 kills and 3.26 digs per set.

• Northwest Nazarene enters the week averaging 11.68 kills per set with a .160 hitting percentage. The Nighthawks are fourth in the GNAC and 47th in Division II with 18.25 digs per set.

• The Nighthawks close the season at home, hosting Alaska on Thursday and Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s dropped both matches on its final road trip of the season, losing to Alaska in three sets on Thursday and to Alaska Anchorage in four sets on Saturday.

• Senior right side Megan Vernoy led the Saints on the road trip with 17 kills. She finished with eight kills and a block at Alaska and finished with nine kills and three blocks at Alaska Anchorage. Vernoy leads the Saints and is eighth in the GNAC with 3.17 kills per set.

• Junior outside hitter Ililani Kamaka added 16 kills and 13 digs in Alaska. She finished with seven kills, five digs and two assists in Fairbanks added nine kills, eight digs, an assist and a block in Anchorage. Kamaka is averaging 2.60 kills and 2.23 digs per set.

• Senior libero Courtney Misner finished with 32 digs and three assists in the weekend set. Misner had 11 digs at Alaska and finished with 21 digs at Alaska Anchorage. Misner enters the week averaging 4.90 digs per set.

• Saint Martin’s enters the week averaging 11.33 kills and 15.52 digs per set with a .160 hitting percentage.

• Saint Martin’s will host Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday at the Saints close the season at Marcus Pavilion.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific succeeded in a split on its final road trip of the season, beating Alaska Anchorage in five sets on Thursday and losing to Alaska in four sets on Saturday.

• Junior outside hitter Gabby Oddo led the Falcons with 30 kills and 27 digs in the two matches. Oddo led SPU with a double-double of 18 kills and 16 digs at Alaska Anchorage before coming off the bench for 12 kills and 11 digs at Alaska. Oddo is fifth in the GNAC with 3.35 kills per set and seventh with 3.84 points per set.

• Senior setter Symone Tran broke the SPU career record for assists as she made her 4,010 successful assist at Alaska on Saturday, surpassing the previous record of 4,009 set by Jenny Moos between 2003 and 2006. The 96 assists in the two matches also moves Tran up to No. 3 on the GNAC career list. Tran finished the week with 53 assists and seven digs at Alaska Anchorage and 43 assists and eight digs at Alaska Anchorage. Tran is fourth in the GNAC with 10.06 assists per set.

• Senior opposite Hailey Gaines continue to show strong in the Falcons’ offense, finishing with 24 kills in the two matches. She finished with 12 kill and four digs at Alaska Anchorage and 12 kills and a .407 hitting percentage at Alaska. Sophomore outside hitter Maddie Batiste had 24 kills in the two matches, topped by her team-leading 14 kills at Alaska. Gaines is averaging 2.57 kills per set.

• Seattle Pacific enters the week averaging 12.13 kills and 16.59 digs per set. The Falcons are fourth in the GNAC and 23rd in Division II with 2.27 blocks per set.

• Seattle Pacific is home for its final matches of the season, hosting Simon Fraser on Thursday and Western Washington on Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser is on a three-match win streak thanks to a pair of three-set sweeps at home over Concordia on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.

• Senior middle blocker Tessa May was named the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after she finished with 31 kills and a .547 hitting percentage. Against Concordia, May finished with 15 kills, five digs, two blocks and a .519 hitting percentage. May then returned to finish with 16 kills, six digs, two blocks and a .577 hitting against Western Oregon. May is fourth in the GNAC with a .365 hitting percentage and sixth with 3.34 kills and 3.90 points per set.

• Junior outside hitter Kirsten Pinkney finished with 23 kills in the two matches. She opened the week with 12 kills and a .273 hitting percentage against Concordia and added an 11-kill performance at Western Oregon. Pinkney is 10th in the GNAC with 3.15 kills per set.

• Sophomore libero Bianca Te finished with 36 digs in the two home matches. Against Concordia, Te finished with 22 digs and then added 14 digs against Western Oregon. Te enters the week averaging 3.09 digs per set.

• Simon Fraser leads the GNAC and is 15th in Division II with 19.53 digs per set. The Clan is third in the GNAC and 31st in Division II with 13.86 kills per set and is 19th in Division II with 13.27 assists per set.

• Simon Fraser closes the year on the road, playing at Seattle Pacific on Thursday and Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon is in the midst of a six-match losing streak. The Wolves dropped three-set matches to Western Washington on Thursday, Simon Fraser on Saturday and Concordia on Tuesday.

• Offense was hard to come by with sophomore outside hitter Sianna DeCarli finishing with eight kills in the two weekend matches while sophomore outside hitter Sierra Stultz and junior outside hitter Jenna Compton had seven kills apiece. DeCarli had four kills against Western Washington while Stultz had seven kills at Simon Fraser.

• Senior opposite Mariella Vandenkooy led the Wolves at Concordia on Tuesday with 11 kills, three digs and a .242 hitting percentage. Vandenkooy leads the Wolves with 2.55 kills per set.

• Stultz also led the Wolves in the weekend matches with 20 digs. Freshman setter Aubrey Stanton finished with 22 assists in the weekend matches and had a double-double with 11 assists and 10 digs at Concordia.

• Western Oregon enters the week averaging 10.96 kills and 15.29 digs per set with a .145 hitting percentage.

• The Wolves conclude the 2018 season on the road at Montana State Billings on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington secured its second straight GNAC championship on Thursday, claiming the title outright with a three-set win over Western Oregon on Thursday before beating Concordia in three sets on Saturday. The Vikings have now won 23 straight matches.

• The Vikings remained at No. 2 in the latest AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25, receiving nine first-place votes. It is the 92nd consecutive poll that the Vikings have been ranked in dating back to the first regular-season poll of the 2012 season. Western Washington also retained the No. 1 spot in the NCAA Division II West Region Rankings.

• With two wins, Western Washington would surpass the GNAC record of 19 conference wins set by Alaska Anchorage in 2016 and tied by the Vikings in 2017.

• Senior outside hitter Abby Phelps finished with 26 kills and 21 digs in the two matches. She scored a double-double of 13 kills and 11 digs to go with two blocks against Western Oregon and added 13 kills and 10 digs against Concordia. The defending GNAC Player of the Year enters the week leading the GNAC and ranked 21st in Division II with 4.01 kills per set. She also leads the GNAC and is 22nd in Division II with 4.52 points per set.

• Junior middle blocker Kayleigh Harper finished with 21 kills and 12 blocks in the two victories. She finished with nine kills, four blocks and a .467 hitting percentage against Western Oregon and added 12 kills and eight blocks off the bench against Concordia. Harper leads the GNAC and is 10th in Division II with a .396 hitting percentage while also leading the GNAC and ranking fourth in Division II with 1.40 blocks per set.

• Senior middle blocker Michaela Hall had 19 kills and finished with seven blocks and a .425 hitting percentage. She finished with seven kills and four blocks against Western Oregon and later added 12 kills and three blocks and had a .400 hitting percentage against Concordia. Hall is third in the GNAC and 31st in Division II with a .370 hitting percentage while also ranking third in the GNAC and 27th in Division II with 1.20 blocks per set.

• Western Washington leads the GNAC and is 12th in Division II with a .263 hitting percentage. The Vikings also lead the league and rank fourth in Division II with 2.87 blocks per set.

• Western Washington closes the regular season with matches at Saint Martin’s on Thursday and at Seattle Pacific on Saturday.