Wednesday, September 29, 2021

AND THEN THERE WERE TWO: After two weeks of conference play, only two teams have made it through undefeated. As it turns out, both teams hail from the 49th state.

Alaska enters this week on a seven-match win streak after a pair of victories in the Patty Center last week. The Nanooks collected a four-set win over Seattle Pacific on Thursday, putting the brakes on the Falcons’ six-match streak before scoring a three-set sweep over Montana State Billings on Saturday.

The Nanooks have gelled well as a team, averaging 12.54 kills per set while ranking second in the conference in both blocks (2.60 per set) and aces (1.80 per set) while leading the conference with a .130 opponent hitting percentage.

Alaska Anchorage is riding a four-match win streak after posting a pair of three-set sweeps over Montana State Billings on Thursday and Seattle Pacific on Saturday. Of the Seawolves’ 11 wins on the season, eight have come in three sets.

The Seawolves lead the conference with a .227 hitting percentage and 2.32 aces per set while averaging 12.47 kills per set.

Both teams take to the road this week with a pair of tough contests that will test their staying power in the conference race. Alaska plays at Simon Fraser on Thursday while Alaska Anchorage is at Western Washington. The teams switch opponents on Saturday.

WILDCATS DOWN RANKED FOES, EARN TEAM OF THE WEEK NOD: With two Top-25 teams on the schedule after a 1-1 opening week, outside observers could be forgiven for assuming this would be a tough stretch for Central Washington women’s volleyball. Instead, after two dominant signature wins, the Wildcats are now poised to make a run in the GNAC.

The Wildcats defeated No. 15 Western Washington in four sets on Thursday before downing No. 22 Simon Fraser in a three-set sweep on Saturday. For running the table against nationally-ranked competition, CWU Volleyball has been named the GNAC Team of the Week.

“This was a big weekend on the calendar and to come away with two wins is huge,” head coach Mario Andaya said. “Western Washington and Simon Fraser are top GNAC and regional contenders, so we had to bring our best. I am just grateful to our crowd for bringing the energy this weekend and firing up our team.”

Central Washington started with an in-state rivalry clash with No. 15 Western Washington. The Vikings were flying high after a head-to-head win over Simon Fraser, but Central Washington quickly brought them down to earth with a 25-13 first set win. Although Western Washington rallied to take the second set, CWU opened up another large margin of victory in the third, winning that set 25-15 before sealing the win with a 25-23 fourth set triumph.

With No. 22 Simon Fraser coming to town next, CWU had an immediate opportunity to prove Thursday’s performance wasn’t a fluke. The Wildcats were in control from the opening whistle, winning 25-17, 25-21, 25-15.

SIMPLY THE BEST: The following GNAC plays have been named to all-tournament teams during the 2021 season.

Seawolf Invitational (Sept. 2-4): Cate Whiting (UAF), Ellen Floyd (UAA), Eve Stephens (UAA).
Yellowjacket Invitational (Sept. 3-4): Tia Allen (SMU, MVP), Kylie Alos (SMU), Joelle Maohwald (MSUB), Bayli Monck (MSUB).
WWU Invitational (Sept. 3-5): Malia Aleaga (WWU, MVP), Gabby Gunterman (WWU), Olivia Fairchild (WWU), Tess Biscup (WWU), Marianna Payne (CWU), Tia Andaya (CWU).
CWU/SPU Invitational (Sept. 9-11): Hannah Hair (SPU), Emily Tulino (SPU), Erin Gould (SPU), Hannah Stires (CWU), Leanna Shymanski (CWU), Ashley Kaufman (CWU), Brooke Dexter (SFU), Julia Tays (SFU), Bailee Hartsook (WOU).
Hawaii Challenge (Sept. 9-12): Bayli Monck (MSUB).

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Tia Andaya, Central Washington
S/OH • 6-9 • Sophomore • Ellensburg, Wash.

Andaya helped lead the Wildcats to wins over No. 15 Western Washington and No. 22 Simon Fraser by averaging 3.71 kills, 2.79 digs and 5.43 assists per set to go with a .339 hitting percentage. Andaya posted her fourth triple-double of the season in Thursday’s four-set win over the Vikings with 16 kills, 26 assists and 14 digs. In Saturday’s win over SFU, Andaya tallied totals of 10 kills, 12 assists and two digs.

Also Nominated: Rilee White (Alaska), Ellen Floyd (Alaska Anchorage), Natalie Sullivan (Northwest Nazarene), Emily Gooding (Saint Martin’s), Brooke Dexter (Simon Fraser), Isabel Hurliman (Western Oregon), Calley Heilborn (Western Washington).

DEFENSIVE
Hannah Stires, Central Washington
DS/L • 5-3 • Freshman • Nine Mile Falls, Wash.

Stires averaged 5.43 digs and 1.14 assists per set as Wildcats posted a pair of victories over top-25 teams. Stires finished with 17 digs to go with five assists, a kill and an ace in Thursday’s four-set win over No. 15 Western Washington. She then added totals of 21 digs and three assists in Saturday’s three-set sweep of No. 22 Simon Fraser.

Also Nominated: Dani Dodge (Alaska), Talia Leauanae (Alaska Anchorage), Jennifer Soha (Saint Martin’s), Bianca Te (Simon Fraser), Mckenzie York (Western Oregon), Kasey Woodruff (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska ran its current win streak to seven matches with a four-set victory over Seattle Pacific on Thursday and a three-set sweep of Montana State Billings on Saturday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Rilee White led the Nanooks offensively, averaging 3.43 kills and 2.71 digs per set over the week. White posted a double-double of 15 kills and 12 digs with two blocks and a .361 hitting percentage against Seattle Pacific. She added totals of nine kills and seven digs against Montana State Billings. White is averaging 2.18 kills and 1.94 digs per set on the season.

• Senior middle blocker Emily Moorhead added 12 more blocks to her totals while averaging two kills per set. Moorhead just missed a double-double against Seattle Pacific with nine kills and nine blocks. She added five kills and three blocks against Montana State Billings. Moorhead is third in the GNAC and 15th in Division II with 1.31 blocks per set and ranks sixth in Division II with 68 total blocks.

• Senior libero Dani Dodge averaged 3.86 digs per set and had two aces in the two matches, posting totals of 12 digs against Seattle Pacific and 15 digs and two aces against Montana State Billings. Dodge is fourth in the GNAC with 4.42 digs per set and is 14th in Division II with 261 total digs.

• Alaska is averaging 12.54 kills per set and 16.42 digs per set. They lead the GNAC and rank 40th in Division II with a .130 opponent hitting percentage. The Nanooks are seventh in Division II with 2.70 blocks per set and lead the country with 153.5 total blocks.

• Alaska received votes (42) in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25 Poll for the second straight week.

• Alaska is on the road this week, playing at Simon Fraser on Thursday and at Western Washington on Saturday.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage scored two three-set sweeps at home last week, knocking off Montana State Billings on Thursday and Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

• Junior outside hitter Eve Stephens led the UAA offense, averaging 3.50 kills, two digs, one ace and 0.50 blocks per set. Against MSUB, Stephens registered 14 kills to go with four aces, five digs and a solo block. She came back to add seven kills, seven digs, two blocks and two aces against Seattle Pacific. Stephens is third in the GNAC with 3.72 kills per set, is fourth in Division II with 567 total attacks and is tied for fifth with teammate Talia Leauanae with 30 aces.

• Junior setter Ellen Floyd added 9.50 assists and 2.17 digs per set in the wins. She posted a double-double of 29 assists and 10 digs with four aces against MSUB. She then contributed 28 assists, three digs and three blocks against Seattle Pacific. Floyd is third in the GNAC with 9.77 assists per set. She leads the GNAC with 0.56 aces per set and is third in Division II with 32 total aces.

• The Seawolves finished the week with an impressive 18 aces, averaging three aces per set. To go with the six for Stephens and the four for Floyd, freshman outside hitter Nicole Blue and junior middle blocker Akor Maywin each had three aces. The Seawolves lead the GNAC and are 16th in Division II with 2.32 aces per set.

• Alaska Anchorage leads the GNAC with a .227 hitting percentage and is averaging 12.47 kills per set. The Seawolves are second in Division II with 132 total aces and 14th with 111 total blocks.

• Alaska Anchorage remained among teams receiving votes (24) in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll.

• Alaska Anchorage head south this week to face Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington had a pair of statement wins over the conference’s nationally-ranked teams. The Wildcats beat then-No. 15 Western Washington in four sets on Thursday and swept then-No. 22 Simon Fraser on Saturday.

• For the two victories that propelled the team into the national rankings, Central Washington was named the GNAC Team of the Week.

• Sophomore setter/outside hitter Tia Andaya was named the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after she averaged 3.71 kills, 5.43 assists and 2.29 digs per set in the victories. She posted her fourth triple-double of the season against WWU, finishing with 16 kills, 26 assists and 14 digs. Against Simon Fraser, Andaya tallied totals of 10 kills, 12 assists and two digs. Andaya is averaging 2.32 kills, 5.34 assists and 2.26 digs per set. Her four triple-doubles on the season is tied for first in Division II and is one short of the GNAC single-season record of five set by Kaitlyn Tuholski of Northwest Nazarene in 2011.

• Freshman libero Hannah Stires was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after she averaged 5.43 digs per set in the wins. She finished with 17 digs, five assists, a kill and an ace against Western Washington and added 21 digs and three assists against Simon Fraser. Stires leads the GNAC with five digs per set.

• Central Washington is averaging 12.71 kills per set and leads the GNAC with 12.11 assists per set. The Wildcats are third in the GNAC and 17th in Division II with 2.45 blocks per set.

• After not receiving any votes last week, CWU entered the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll this week at No. 25. The Wildcats had previously received votes in the preseason and September 13 polls.

• The Wildcats are home for just one match this week, hosting Northwest Nazarene on Friday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings dropped a pair of three-set road matches last week, falling at Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and at Alaska on Saturday.

• Senior right-side hitter Bayli Monck led the Yellowjackets with 3.17 kills and 2.33 digs per set. She opened with a double-double of 13 kills and 11 digs at Alaska Anchorage before adding six kills, three digs and two blocks at Alaska. Monck is fourth in the GNAC with a season average of 3.38 kills per set.

• Junior outside hitter Skyler Reed added 1.83 kills and 2.50 digs per set. She opened with six kills and eight digs at Alaska Anchorage before posting totals of five kills and seven digs at Alaska. Reed is averaging 2.69 kills and 1.81 digs per set on the season.

• Sophomore setter Hannah Hashbarger contributed 4.17 assists per set, led by her 16 assists and five digs at Alaska Anchorage. Hashbarger is fifth in the GNAC with 6.93 assists per set.

• Montana State Billings enters the week averaging 10.86 kills and 14.60 digs per set. The Yellowjackets are fifth in the conference with 2.10 blocks per set.

• The Yellowjackets open a four-match homestand this week, hosting Western Oregon on Thursday and Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene dropped two matches to the GNAC’s nationally-ranked teams last week, falling in five sets to Simon Fraser on Thursday and in four sets to Western Washington on Saturday. The Nighthawks opened the week with a four-set non-conference win at Westminster (Utah) on Tuesday.

• Junior outside hitter Natalie Sullivan averaged 5.69 kills and 2.92 digs per set over the three matches, finishing with 20-plus kills in all three matches. Sullivan finished with a GNAC season-high 29 kills against Simon Fraser to go with 15 digs. She then finished with 23 kills and 11 digs against Western Washington and added 22 kills and 12 digs against Westminster. Sullivan is second in the GNAC with 3.93 kills per set.

• Freshman Molly Anderson came up with 2.90 kills and 2.70 digs per set in the three matches. The conference matches were topped by 12 kills and six digs against Western Washington. She then posted a double-double of 14 kills and 17 digs against Westminster. Anderson is averaging 1.88 kills and 2.19 digs per set.

• Sophomore Anna Gable averaged 1.69 kills per set and had nine blocks in the three-match set. She had seven kills and three blocks against both Simon Fraser and Western Washington and then finished with eight kills and three blocks at Westminster. Gable is averaging 1.60 kills and 0.76 blocks per set.

• The Nighthawks enter the week averaging 11.74 kills per set. The Nighthawks are second in the GNAC and 42nd in Division II with 17.42 digs per set.

• Northwest Nazarene plays just one conference match this week, traveling to Central Washington on Friday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s snapped a five-match losing streak with a four-set non-conference win over Division III Linfield on Tuesday and added a five-set win at Western Oregon on Saturday.

• Freshman outside hitter Tia Allen led the Saints with 3.44 kills and 3.44 digs per set in the two matches. She had a double-double in both matches, finishing with 16 kills and 12 digs against Linfield before posting totals of 15 kills and 19 digs against Western Oregon. Allen is fifth in the GNAC with 3.30 kills per set. She ranks 21st in Division II with 11.43 attacks per set and 13th with 537 total attacks.

• Senior right-side hitter Emily Gooding finished with an average of 2.89 kills per set and a .368 hitting percentage. She opened the week with eight kills and four blocks against Linfield before coming up with 18 kills and two blocks and a .389 hitting percentage at Western Oregon. Gooding is averaging 2.36 kills per set for the season.

• Freshman Analise Hitchcock averaged six assists per set and freshman Mahina Pescala averaged 5.67 assists per set in the Saints’ two-setter system. Hitchcock finished with a high of 32 assists against Western Oregon while Pescala had a high of 28 against Linfield. Hitchcock is ninth in the GNAC with 6.02 assists per set.

• Saint Martin’s enters the week averaging 11.96 kills per set. The Saints lead the conference and rank 13th in Division II with 18.64 digs per set. The Saints also rank 25th in Division II with 876 total digs.

• The Saints are on the road for a pair of matches this week, traveling to Seattle Pacific on Thursday and Montana State Billings on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific saw its six-match streak snapped with a pair of losses in Alaska last week. The Falcons dropped a four-set match to Alaska on Thursday and a three-set loss to Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

• Senior outside hitter Erin Gould led the Falcons with averages of 2.71 kills and 1.86 digs per set in the two matches. She finished with five kills and eight digs at Alaska before leading the Falcons with 14 kills, five digs and a .257 hitting percentage at Alaska Anchorage. For the season, Gould is averaging 1.59 kills and 2.17 digs per set.

• Freshman setter Emily Tulino averaged 8.14 assists per set on the road trip. She posted a double-double of 35 assists and 12 digs at Alaska before finishing with 22 assists and six digs against Alaska Anchorage. Tulino is sixth in the GNAC with 6.59 assists per set.

• Senior outside hitter Maddie Batiste added averages of two kills and 2.71 digs per set, registering 10 kills and nine digs at Alaska along with four kills and 10 digs at Alaska Anchorage. Batiste is averaging 2.62 kills and 2.32 digs per set.

• Seattle Pacific enters the week averaging 12.71 kills and 12.88 digs per set. The Falcons lead the GNAC and are ranked sixth in Division II with 2.61 blocks per set. Freshman middle blocker Hannah Hair leads the GNAC and is fifth in Division II with 1.45 blocks per set.

• The Falcons return to Royal Brougham Pavilion this week to host Saint Martin’s on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser split its first conference road trip of the season, beating Northwest Nazarene in five sets on Thursday before dropping a three-set decision at Central Washington on Saturday.

• Freshman outside hitter Brooke Dexter led the way for SFU once again, averaging 3.12 kills and 1.75 digs per set with a .297 hitting percentage. Dexter finished with 18 kills, a .444 hitting percentage, seven digs and three aces at Northwest Nazarene. She then added seven kills and seven digs at Central Washington. Dexter leads the GNAC and is 11th in Division II with 4.24 kills per set and is fifth in the GNAC with a .314 hitting percentage.

• Senior libero Bianca Te led SFU defensively with an average of 3.50 digs per set, finishing with 15 digs and four assists at Northwest Nazarene along with 13 digs and two assists at Central Washington. Te is ninth in the GNAC with an average of 3.71 digs per set.

• Freshman setter Serena Gentile averaged 9.25 assists and 2.75 digs per set on the road trip. She posted a double-double of 43 assists and 10 digs to go with three aces at Northwest Nazarene. She added 31 assists and 12 digs at Central Washington. This week’s matches were the first for Gentile this season.

• Simon Fraser leads the GNAC with 13.05 kills per set and is third with 11.95 assists per set.

• Simon Fraser dropped out of the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll but remains among three GNAC teams receiving votes with 56.

• Simon Fraser returns home to host Alaska on Thursday and Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon lost its only match of the week, dropping a hard-fought five-set affair to Saint Martin’s on Saturday in Monmouth.

• Sophomore outside hitter Isabel Hurliman led the Wolves with a double-double of 15 kills and 12 digs. Hurliman is averaging 3.03 kills per set to lead WOU.

• Freshman outside hitter Bailee Hartsook added nine kills to go with four digs and three blocks. Hartsook is ninth in the GNAC with 3.08 kills per set.

• Junior setter Aubrey Stanton posted a double-double of 24 assists and 15 digs. Stanton is eighth in the GNAC with 6.25 assists per set and 0.34 aces per set.

• Western Oregon enters the week averaging 10.77 kills and 14.30 digs per set.

• The Wolves take to the road this week after a three-match homestand, playing at Montana State Billings on Thursday and at Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington took a split on the road last week, dropping a four-set match at Central Washington on Thursday before rebounding for a four-set win at Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Calley Heilborn led the Vikings with 3.38 kills and 3.88 digs per set with a .232 hitting percentage. She had a double-double in both matches, finishing with 13 kills, 16 digs and two blocks at Central Washington before adding 14 kills, 15 digs and two blocks at Northwest Nazarene. Heilborn is 10th in the GNAC with 3.07 kills per set and eighth with 3.93 digs per set.

• Junior outside hitter Gabby Gunterman added three kills and 3.88 digs per set on the road trip. Gunterman finished with nine kills and 12 digs at Central Washington before posting a double-double of 15 kills and 19 digs at Northwest Nazarene. Gunterman is averaging 2.69 kills and 3.57 digs per set on the season.

• Sophomore libero Kasey Woodruff also averaged 3.88 digs per set, finishing with 15 digs at Central Washington and 16 digs at Northwest Nazarene. Woodruff is averaging 3.52 digs per set on the season.

• Western Washington is averaging 12.52 kills and 15.19 digs per set. The Vikings are fourth in the GNAC and 24th in Division II with 2.37 blocks per set and rank 40th in Division II with 99.5 total blocks.

• Western Washington dropped five spots this week to No. 20 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25 Poll.

• The Vikings return home this week for the first time since September 5, hosting Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and Alaska on Saturday.