Monday, November 7, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. – As Alaska Anchorage closes in on its first GNAC championship since 2016, Seawolves’ senior right-side hitter Eve Stephens and senior setter Ellen Floyd have swept the conference’s volleyball weekly awards.

Stephens earned yet another Offensive Player of the Week award after she averaged 6.14 kills, 4.71 digs, 1.14 blocks and 7.14 points per set in two wins over regionally-ranked opponents. Stephens finished with a double-double of 22 kills and 20 digs with two assists and two blocks in Thursday’s four-set win over Northwest Nazarene. She had another double-double in Saturday’s three-set sweep of Central Washington, finishing with 21 kills, 13 digs, six blocks, two aces and an assist.

Floyd was named the Defensive Player of the Week after she averaged 5.57 digs, 9.71 assists, 0.86 kills, 0.57 blocks and 0.43 aces per set. She turned in totals of 15 digs, 37 assists, two kills and two aces against Northwest Nazarene. Against Central Washington, Floyd finished with 24 digs, 31 assists, four blocks and an ace.

Northwest Nazarene junior goalkeeper Sawyer Price was named the Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for his effort that helped the Nighthawks clinch their first GNAC championship. Price made two saves and had an assist on NNU’s opening goal in the 89th minute in the Nighthawks’ wild 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Western Washington on Thursday.

Seattle Pacific freshman forward Andrew Tran was selected as the final Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for the season for his two goals and two assists in the Falcons’ 9-0 win over Saint Martin’s last Monday. Playing 33 minutes, Tran tallied goals in the 34th and 64th minutes while adding assists in the 40th and 60th minutes.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 12
MEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE
Andrew Tran (Seattle Pacific, F, 6-0, Fr., Seattle, Wash. – Garfield): Tran scored two goals and had two assists in the Falcons’ 9-0 drubbing of Saint Martin’s on Monday. Tran scored his goals in the 34th and 64th minutes and tallied his assists in the 40th and 60th minutes. Also Nominated: Jonathan Cardona (Northwest Nazarene), Alan Soto (Simon Fraser), Albin Jonsson (Western Washington).

MEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE
Sawyer Price (Northwest Nazarene, GK, 6-3, Jr., Olympia, Wash. – Olympia): Price made eight saves in two matches and helped lift Northwest Nazarene to two victories and its first GNAC championship. Price made two saves and had a rare goalkeeper assist on the first goal of the Nighthawks’ dramatic last-minute scoring barrage in a 2-1 victory over Western Washington on Thursday. He added six saves against 16 Seattle Pacific shots in Saturday’s 3-2 title-clinching win over the Falcons. Also Nominated: Lars Helleren (Seattle Pacific), Brandon Locke (Western Washington).

VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE
Eve Stephens (Alaska Anchorage, RS, 6-1, Sr., Palmer, Alaska – Colony): Stephens averaged 6.14 kills, 4.71 digs, 1.14 blocks and 7.14 points per set as the Seawolves closed the home regular-season schedule undefeated. Stephens posted a double-double of 22 kills and 20 digs with two assists and two blocks in Thursday’s four-set victory over Northwest Nazarene. She then turned in a 21-kill, 13-dig performance in Saturday’s three-set sweep of Central Washington, which also included six blocks, two aces and an assist. Also Nominated: Elizabeth Jackson (Alaska), Olivia Wright (Northwest Nazarene), Jocelyn Sherman (Simon Fraser), Bailey Hartsook (Western Oregon), Calley Heilborn (Western Washington).

VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE
Ellen Floyd (Alaska Anchorage, S, 5-10, Sr., Pensacola, Fla. – Pensacola Catholic): Floyd averaged 5.57 digs, 9.71 assists, 0.86 kills, 0.57 blocks and 0.43 aces per set in two home victories for Alaska Anchorage. She opened the week with totals of 15 digs, 37 assists, two kills and two aces in Thursday’s four-set win over Northwest Nazarene. She added another double-double of 24 digs and 31 assists to go with four blocks and an ace in Saturday’s three-set sweep of Central Washington.  Also Nominated: Emma Daoud-Hebert (Central Washington), Caroline McMahon (Northwest Nazarene), Miriam Jauhiainen (Simon Fraser), Kasey Woodruff (Western Washington).