Monday, September 12, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. – A banner week for Northwest Nazarene’s soccer teams was punctuated with the selection of three Nighthawks as GNAC Players of the Week.

Sophomore forward Sullivan Smith was named the Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week after he scored two goals on his only two shots taken. He scored the insurance goal in the Nighthawks’ 3-0 shutout of Chaminade on Tuesday and connected for the game-winning goal in the 33rd minute in Saturday’s 1-0 upset of No. 14 West Texas A&M.

Senior defender Lorenzo Valentini was named the Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for his role in anchoring NNU in the two victories. He played all but three minutes of the two matches as NNU limited opponents to 12 total shots and just three shots on goal.

Junior midfielder Madison Grande was named the Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week after she too scored a goal in each of two Nighthawks victories. She scored one of two first-half goals for NNU in a 4-2 victory over Hawaii Pacific on Tuesday. She then contributed the game-tying goal in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Westminster (Utah).

Central Washington sophomore goalkeeper Kassandra Jaggard earned Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week honors after she allowed one goal in a tough two-match road trip. Jaggard held No. 22 UC-Colorado Springs scoreless on Wednesday and made seven saves as the Wildcats played the Cougars to a 0-0 tie. She allowed one goal and made a save in Friday’s 1-0 loss at MSU Denver.

Simon Fraser sophomore opposite Brooke Dexter was named the Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week after she averaged 3.75 kills, 1.75 digs, 0.88 blocks and 0.75 aces per set with a .451 hitting percentage as the Red Leafs went 2-0 to start the GNAC season. Her week included a double-double of 11 kills and 10 digs in Thursday’s sweep of Montana State Billings and a performance of 19 kills, four digs, four aces and three blocks in Saturday’s five-set win over Seattle Pacific.

Western Washington senior outside hitter Calley Heilborn picked up Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week honors after she averaged four digs and 2.83 kills per set in a pair of three-set sweeps. She finished with 14 digs and seven kills in Thursday’s win over Seattle Pacific before notching a double-double with 10 digs and 10 kills in Saturday’s win over Montana State Billings.

The Vikings swept the cross country weekly honors with a sweep of the individual and team honors at the CWU Apple Ridge Run on Saturday. Sophomore Jeret Gillingham was named the Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after he won the men’s race in a time of 18:50.9, leading WWU to a perfect team score of 15 points.

Sophomore Sophie Wright earned the Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week award for her victory in a time of 15:23.2. She led WWU to the team title with a score of 18 points.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 4
MEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE
Sullivan Smith (Northwest Nazarene, F, 6-0, So., Fall City, Wash. – Mount Si): Smith scored goals on both shots taken last week to help the Nighthawks to two home victories. On Tuesday, Smith scored the insurance goal in NNU’s 3-0 shutout of Chaminade. On Saturday, Sullivan netted the game-winning goal off of Jake Levine’s assist in the 33rd minute in a 1-0 victory over No. 14 West Texas A&M. Also Nominated: Ryan Henley (Montana State Billings), Alan Soto (Simon Fraser), Albin Jonsson (Western Washington).

MEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE
Lorenzo Valentini (Northwest Nazarene, D, 6-7, Sr., Saarbrücken, Germany – Gymnasium am Rotenbühl): Valentini anchored an NNU defense that did not allow a goal and limited opponents to 12 total shots in two victories. On Tuesday, Valentini and the Nighthawks allowed just one total shot in a 3-0 win over Chaminade. On Saturday, the team held No. 14 West Texas A&M to three shots on goal in a 1-0 victory. Valentini played all but three minutes last week and played all 90 minutes against West Texas A&M. Also Nominated: Juan Suarez (Western Oregon), Patrick Restum (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE
Madison Grande (Northwest Nazarene, M, 5-5, Jr., Gig Harbor, Wash. – Concordia (Ore.) Univ.): Grande scored goals in both of Northwest Nazarene’s wins last week. Grande scored the Nighthawks’ second first-half goal en route to a 4-2 victory over Hawaii Pacific on Tuesday. She then contributed the game-tying goal in the 25th minute in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Westminster (Utah). Also Nominated: Jackie Sharpe (Montana State Billings), Kate Cartier (Simon Fraser) Dayana Diaz (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE
Kassandra Jaggard (Central Washington, GK, 5-7, So., San Diego, Calif. – Steele Canyon): Jaggard allowed one goal and made eight saves as the Wildcats played two road matches. Jaggard did not allow a goal and made seven saves as the Wildcats scored a 0-0 tie at No. 22 UC-Colorado Springs. She allowed one goal in Friday’s 1-0 loss to MSU Denver. Both teams are ranked to finish in the top five in the RMAC. Also Nominated: Tuva Sallvin (Montana State Billings), Bailey Blancett (Northwest Nazarene), Emily Smith (Simon Fraser).

VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE
Brooke Dexter (Simon Fraser, OPP, 6-2, So., Anchorage, Alaska – West Anchorage): Dexter led the Red Leafs to a 2-0 start to conference play by averaging 3.75 kills, 1.75 digs, 0.88 blocks and 0.75 aces per set with a .451 hitting percentage. On Thursday, Dexter finished with a double-double of 11 kills and 10 digs to go with two aces and four blocks in a three-set sweep of Montana State Billings. On Saturday, Dexter finished with 19 kills, four digs, three blocks and a .533 hitting percentage in a five-set victory over Seattle Pacific. She also had four aces in a match where SFU finished with 23 aces, one short of the GNAC single-match record. Also Nominated: Karli Nielson (Alaska), Eve Stephens (Alaska Anchorage), Miya Koch (Northwest Nazarene), Olivia Fairchild (Western Washington).

VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE
Calley Heilborn (Western Washington, OH, 6-1, Sr., Auburn, Wash. – Auburn Riverside): Heilborn averaged four digs and 2.83 kills per set as the Vikings opened the conference season with a pair of wins. In Thursday’s three-set sweep of Seattle Pacific, Heilborn finished with 14 digs and seven kills. In Saturday’s three-set sweep of Montana State Billings, Heilborn notched a double-double of 10 digs and 10 kills with a pair of aces.  Also Nominated: Elizabeth Jackson (Alaska), Leilani Elder (Alaska Anchorage), Mckenzie Lee (Northwest Nazarene), Kalyn Hartmann (Simon Fraser).

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Jeret Gillingham (Western Washington, So., Sandy, Ore. – Sandy): Gillingham was a winner in his season debut, capturing the CWU Apple Ridge Run on Saturday with a time of 18:50.9 over 6,000-plus meters. He was three seconds ahead of teammate Andrew Oslin for the victory and helped lead the Vikings to the team title with a perfect score of 15 points. Also Nominated: Ase Ackerman (Montana State Billings).

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Sophie Wright (Western Washington, So., Palmer, Alaska – Palmer): Wright was the winner of the women’s 4,000-meter race at the CWU Apple Ridge Run, posting a time of 15:23.2 for her first collegiate race victory. She was 17 seconds ahead of teammate Meara Shannon as the Vikings won the team title with a score of 18 points. Also Nominated: Kailee Stoppel (Montana State Billings).