Wednesday, September 13, 2017

ANOTHER STELLAR SHOWCASE SHOWING: For the second straight season, the GNAC came out as the big winner in the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase.

The conference finished with a 27-17 record in the annual tournament, which features every volleyball program from the West Region’s three conferences. The GNAC finished with a 12-11 record against PacWest Conference teams and 14-6 against CCAA squads for the second consecutive year.

Northwest Nazarene was the only GNAC squad to finish the Showcase with a 4-0 record, staking themselves to an impressive 8-0 start to open the year (extended to 9-0 with Monday’s three-set sweep of Simon Fraser). Ten of the conference’s 11 teams finished at 2-2 or better.
The biggest improvement in the Showcase came from Alaska. After having gone 0-4 in each of the last two editions of the crossover, the Nanooks finished with a 3-1 record in the San Francisco Pod.

The GNAC now owns a 85-57 overall record (.599 win percentage) in the four years of the tournament and a 52-30 record in the two years where all three West Region conferences have participated.

WEST REGION SHOWCASE ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: A total of 10 GNAC players were named to the 2017 D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase All-Tournament. The 24-player squad was comprised of four players from each of the tournament’s six pods.

Western Washington was the lone GNAC team, and one of just three squads in the tournament, to land two selections in outside hitters Abby Phelps and Joellee Buckner from the Anchorage Pod. Northwest Nazarene middle blocker Madi Farrell and Simon Fraser middle blocker Tessa May were selected from the Nampa Pod. Concordia outside hitter Lindsey Dorsey and Central Washington outside hitter Shelby Mauritson were selected from the Ellensburg Pod.

Western Oregon outside hitter Alisha Bettinson and Seattle Pacific outside hitter Gabby Oddo were the GNAC selections from the Monmouth Pod. Saint Martin’s outside hitter Nicolette Nesbitt was selected from the Lacey Pod while Alaska outside hitter Gabby Lerma was picked from the San Francisco Pod.

Non-GNAC selections to the All-Tournament Team include Cal Baptist’s Lauren Hackett and McKenna Witt, Cal State LA’s Karla Santos, Sonoma State’s Cati Wiesner, UC San Diego’s Amanda Colla, Azusa Pacific’s Julianne Miller, Cal State East Bay’s Deja Thompson, Chaminade’s Emma Tecklenberg, Notre Dame de Namur’s Bianca Alvarez and Allison Anderson, Cal Poly Pomona’s Alina Smith, Cal State Monterey Bay’s Anela Visesio and Biola’s Tess Van Grouw.

IN THE POLLS: Thanks to its 3-1 mark in the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase, Western Washington retained its No. 10 position in this week’s American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Top-25. Alaska Anchorage, which started the season at No. 4, dropped four spots to No. 18. Northwest Nazarene, with a 9-0 record, sits first among teams receiving votes with 115 points. Central Washington is fourth on the receiving votes list with 34 points.

Western Washington was one of two top-25 teams competing the Showcase that maintained or gained in its poll position. Cal Baptist, which beat the Vikings in three sets, jumped from No. 24 to No. 12. Cal State San Bernardino dropped from No. 11 to No. 16 and Concordia-Irvine dropped from No. 15 to No. 19.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Madi Farrell, Northwest Nazarene
MB • 6-2 • Senior • Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

The senior led Northwest Nazarene to a 4-0 week at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase and was named to the All-Tournament Team. She led all GNAC players with 4.14 kills per set and a .495 hitting percentage while also averaging 1.29 blocks per set. She finished with 16 kills, an .889 hitting percentage and nine blocks in Thursday’s win over Dominican (Calif.) and had 18 kills and eight blocks in Saturday’s five-set win over Sonoma State.

Also Nominated: Gabby Lerma (Alaska), Shelby Mauritson (Central Washington), Britt Beyer (Concordia), Maddi Vigil (Montana State Billings), Nicolette Nesbitt (Saint Martin’s), Gabby Oddo (Seattle Pacific), Alisha Bettinson (Western Oregon), Abby Phelps (Western Washington).

DEFENSIVE
Joslyn Bopray, Western Washington
MB • 6-1 • Sophomore • Spokane, Wash.

Bopray led a solid Western Washington defensive effort with 22 blocks and an average of 1.47 blocks per set as the Vikings went 3-1 in D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase’s Anchorage Pod. She finished with 10 blocks (1 solo, 9 assists) in Thursday’s five-set win over No. 11 Cal State San Bernardino and had seven blocks in Saturday’s four-set win over No. 15 Concordia-Irvine.

Also Nominated: Kyla Morgan (Central Washington), Michele Brown (Concordia), Izela Alvarez (Montana State Billings), Courtney Misner (Saint Martin’s).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Beat Holy Names, 3-0; Lost to Hawaii Hilo, 3-1. Sept. 8: Beat Academy of Art, 3-1. Sept. 9: Beat Biola, 3-1. Sept. 12: Lost to Alaska Anchorage, 3-0.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 15: at Montana State Billings, 7 p.m.

• After going 0-8 in its first two seasons at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase, Alaska went 3-1 in the San Francisco Pod. The Nanooks’ seven wins on the season are their most since 2010 (7-17).

• Sophomore outside hitter Gabby Lerma led the Nanooks offensively with 51 kills, a 3.40 kills per set average and a .295 hitting percentage. She had a high of 18 kills in the loss to Hawaii Hilo and had double-digit kills in each of the Showcase’s final three matches. She was named to the Showcase’s All-Tournament Team.

• Alaska enters the week leading the GNAC and ranked 18th in Division II with an average of 2.26 aces per set. Freshman setter Cate Whiting leads the GNAC with an average 0.50 aces per set (16 total) while Lerma is sixth at 0.42 per set (14 total).

• Sophomore Kim Wong is seventh in the GNAC with a .318 hitting percentage. She hit .353 and had 23 kills in the Showcase, paced by eight kills against Hawaii Hilo.

• As a team, Alaska is third in the GNAC and 29th in Division II with a team .240 hitting percentage. The Nanooks are also third in the GNAC and 46th in Division II with 13.21 kills per set. Alaska also ranks in the Division II top-50 in team assists (370, 46th), team kills (417, 27th) and team service aces (70, 4th).

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Beat Chico State, 3-1. Sept. 8: Lost to Cal Baptist, 3-0. Sept. 9: Beat Concordia-Irvine, 3-2; Lost to Cal State San Bernardino, 3-2. Sept. 12: Beat Alaska 3-0.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 15: at Rocky Mountain, 7 p.m. Sept. 16: at Montana State Billings, 7 p.m.

• Alaska Anchorage finished 2-2 as the host of the Anchorage Pod of the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase, which included a win over then-No. 15 ranked Concordia-Irvine and a hard-fought five-set loss to then-No. 11 Cal State San Bernardino. The Seawolves opened GNAC play on Tuesday with a three-set sweep of Alaska in Fairbanks.

• With the 2-2 record in the Showcase, Alaska Anchorage dropped four more spots to No. 18 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll.

• Junior outside hitter Chrisalyn Johnson led UAA in the tournament with 44 kills and a .242 hitting percentage. She saved her best for last, notching 22 kills, a .362 hitting percentage and 15 digs against Cal State San Bernardino. Johnson also led the Seawolves in the win over Alaska with 13 kills.

• Junior outside hitter Leah Swiss had 45 kills and averaged 2.65 kills per set in the four Showcase matches. She had a double-double of 15 kills and 11 digs against Cal State San Bernardino.

• Alaska Anchorage enters the week ranked second in the GNAC and 39th in Division II with 1.97 aces per set. Senior defensive specialist Keala Kaio-Perez is third in the GNAC with 0.47 aces per set (18 total) while Swiss is fifth at 0.45 per set (17 total).

• The Seawolves rank third in the GNAC and 48th in Division II with 2.16 blocks per set. Junior middle blocker Tara Melton is is 42nd in Division II and sixth in the GNAC at 1.15 per set while sophomore right side Diana Fa’amausili is 10th in the GNAC at 1.00 per set.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Lost to Dixie State, 3-2; Beat Stanislaus State, 3-1. Sept. 8: Lost to Dixie State, 3-2. Sept. 9: Beat UC San Diego, 3-1.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 14: vs. Western Washington, 7 p.m. Sept. 16: vs. Simon Fraser, 7 p.m.

• Central Washington finished with a 2-2 record as it hosted the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase’s Ellensburg Pod, scoring a pair of four-set wins over Stanislaus State and UC San Diego. The Wildcats are 13-3 all-time in the Showcase.

• Junior outside hitter Shelby Mauritson was named to the Showcase’s All-Tournament Team after she finished with 61 kills, 3.39 kills per set and a .256 hitting percentage. She had 18 kills against Azusa Pacific and 17 against Dixie State. Mauritson is eighth in the GNAC with 3.32 kills per set and is 42nd in Division II with 10.81 attacks per set.

• Senior middle blocker Sabrina Wheelhouse had 39 kills, a .380 hitting percentage and 29 blocks in the four Showcase matches, topped by her 10 kills and eight blocks against UC San Diego. Wheelhouse enters the week leading the GNAC and ranked 11th in Division II at 1.42 blocks per set. She is also third in Division II with her 44 total blocks.

• Central Washington leads the GNAC and is fifth in Division II with 2.68 blocks per set. The Wildcats are second in Division II with 83 total blocks and 46th with 1,152 total attacks. Central Washington also enters the week ranked second in the GNAC with a .154 opponent’s hitting percentage.

• The Wildcats received votes in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll for the third consecutive week with 35 points.

CONCORDIA
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Lost to UC San Diego, 3-1. Sept. 8: Beat Stanislaus State, 3-1; Lost to Azusa Pacific, 3-0. Sept. 9: Beat Dixie State, 3-1.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 14: at Seattle Pacific, 7 p.m. Sept. 16: at Saint Martin’s, 7 p.m.

• Concordia finished 2-2 at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase for the second year in a row, posting four-set wins over Stanislaus State and Dixie State.

• Senior outside hitter Lindsey Dorsey was named to the Showcase’s All-Tournament Team after finishing with 51 kills and a .292 hitting percentage in the four matches. She had 16 kills in the win over Stanislaus State and 15 against Azusa Pacific. Dorsey enters the week ninth in the GNAC with 3.31 kills per set and tied for first in aces at 0.50 per set.

• Junior middle blocker Britt Beyer finished the Showcase with 31 kills and a team-leading .348 hitting percentage, topped by a 13-kill, six-block performance with a .542 hitting percentage against Dixie State. Beyer enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC with a .327 hitting percentage.

• Concordia enters the week ranked third in the GNAC in assists (12.08 per set) and aces (1.50 per set) and fourth in opponent hitting percentage (.173), kills (12.92 per set) and blocks (2.10 per set). Senior setter Michele Brown is third in the GNAC with 10.53 assists per set while senior middle blocker Colby Barnette is fifth in blocks with 1.15 per set.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Beat Point Loma, 3-0. Sept. 8: Lost to Cal St. Dominguez Hills, 3-0; Lost to Notre Dame de Namur, 3-0. Sept. 9: Beat Humboldt State, 3-0.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 15: vs. Alaska, 7 p.m. Sept. 16: vs. Alaska Anchorage, 7 p.m.

• After going winless in the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase in 2016, Montana State Billings went 2-2 in the Lacey Pod with three-set sweeps of Point Loma and Humboldt State.

• Freshman right side Bayli Monck finished with 40 kills and 3.33 kills per set in the four matches. She finished with 15 kills, a .448 hitting percentage and eight digs against Notre Dame de Namur. Monck enters the week seventh in the GNAC with 3.42 kills per set and eighth with a .287 hitting percentage.

• Freshman outside hitter Maddi Vigil added 46 kills in the Showcase, topped by a 17-kill performance against Point Loma. Vigil is fifth in the GNAC with 3.65 kills per set and sixth with 4.08 points per set.

• Freshman setter Kylee Clarke averaged 10.23 assists per set in the four matches while freshman defensive specialist Izela Alvarez had 0.47 aces per set. Alvarez enters the week fourth in the GNAC with 0.46 aces per set.

• Montana State Billings enters the week ranked third in the GNAC and 50th in Division II with 17.69 digs per set. The Yellowjackets are fifth in the GNAC with a .212 hitting percentage.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Beat Cal State LA, 3-0. Sept. 8: Beat Dominican (Calif.), 3-0. Sept. 9: Beat Hawaii Pacific, 3-0; Beat Sonoma State, 3-2. Sept. 11: Beat Simon Fraser, 3-0.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 16: vs. Western Washington, 7 p.m.

• Northwest Nazarene was the only GNAC team to go undefeated at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase, which included three three-set wins. The Crusaders then opened GNAC play with a three-set sweep of Simon Fraser.

• With it’s 9-0 record, Northwest Nazarene is now top among teams receiving votes in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25 with 115 points.

• Senior middle blocker Madi Farrell was named to the Showcase All-Tournament Team and was named GNAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week after she finished with a .495 hitting percentage, 4.14 kills per set and 1.29 blocks per set in the tournament. Her week was topped by 16 kills, four blocks and an .889 hitting percentage against Dominican (Calif.). Farrell enters the week leading the GNAC and ranked fifth in Division II with a .478 hitting percentage. She also leads the GNAC with 4.42 kills per set and 5.15 points per set and is second with 1.26 blocks per set.

• Senior outside hitter Kendra Bodine finished with 51 kills and 3.64 kills per set in the tournament. She had 15 kills and three blocks against Cal State LA and 22 against Sonoma State. Bodine is second in the GNAC and 21st in Division II with 4.26 kills per set.

• Junior setter Hailey Cook leads the GNAC and is ninth in Division II with 12.10 assists per set. She averaged 11.31 assists per set in the Showcase and had 53 assists against Sonoma State.

• As a team, Northwest Nazarene leads the GNAC and is 12th in Division II with a .274 hitting percentage. The Crusaders also lead the GNAC and rank 17th in Division II with 14.39 kills per set. Northwest Nazarene also leads the league in assists per set (13.97) and digs per set (18.16).

SAINT MARTIN’S
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Beat Humboldt State, 3-0. Sept. 8: Lost to Point Loma, 3-0. Sept. 9: Lost to Notre Dame de Namur, 3-1; Beat Cal St. Dominguez Hills, 3-2.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 14: vs. Western Oregon, 7 p.m. Sept. 16: vs. Concordia, 7 p.m.

• Saint Martin’s finished with a 2-2 record at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase and now owns a 6-2 record in the annual event.

• Senior setter Nicolette Nesbitt was named to the Showcase’s All-Tournament Team after finishing with 145 assists and 9.67 assists per set in the four matches. Her weekend was topped by a double-double of 50 assists and 15 digs against Cal State Dominguez Hills. Nesbitt is ranked fourth in the GNAC with 10.17 assists per set.

• Senior outside hitter Rebecca Mitchell finished with 44 kills in the four matches, averaging 2.93 kills per set. She had a weekend high of 17 kills and 16 digs in the five-set win over Cal State Dominguez Hills. Mitchell enters the week ranked sixth in the GNAC with 3.48 kills per set.

•Saint Martin’s enters the week third in the GNAC with a .157 opponent’s hitting percentage and fourth with 17.59 digs per set. The Saints rank 44th in Division II with 38.03 team attacks per set.

• Among other individual performers, freshman outside hitter Emily Gooding is eighth in the GNAC with 0.39 aces per set, freshman middle blocker Kamille Langford is eighth with 1.05 blocks per set and junior defensive specialist Courtney Misner is eighth with 4.31 digs per set.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Lost to Chaminade, 3-0. Sept. 8: Beat Cal State East Bay, 3-2; Beat Fresno Pacific, 3-2. Sept. 9: Beat Cal State San Marcos, 3-1.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 14: vs. Concordia, 7 p.m. Sept. 16: vs. Western Oregon, 7 p.m.

• After dropping its first match at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase, Seattle Pacific rebounded to win three straight to finish in the Monmouth Pod with a 3-1 record. The Falcons have finished 3-1 in three of the four years of the Showcase.

• Sophomore outside hitter Gabby Oddo was named to the Showcase’s All-Tournament Team after she finished with 50 kills and 3.12 kills per set in the four matches. She finished with 18 kills agsinst Cal State East Bay and 15 agsinst Fresno Pacific. Oddo enters the week averaging 2.78 kills per set.

• Freshman outside hitter Olivia Turner added 44 kills and averaged 2.65 kills per set in the four Showcase matches. She posted a high of 18 kills with a .255 hitting percentage in the five-set win over Fresno Pacific.

• Junior setter Symone Tran finished with 156 assists and averaged 9.18 assists per set in the four matches. She enters the week ranked sixth in the GNAC with 9.18 assists per set. Tran had a high of 49 assists in the win over Fresno Pacific and had 48 assists against Cal State East Bay.

• The Falcons enter GNAC play with a .179 hitting percentage and an average of 11.45 kills per set.

SIMON FRASER
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Lost to Dominican (Calif.), 3-1. Sept. 8: Beat Sonoma State, 3-0; Beat Simon Fraser, 3-2. Sept. 9: Lost to Cal State LA, 3-1. Sept. 11: Lost at Northwest Nazarene, 3-0.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 16: at Central Washington, 7 p.m.

• Simon Fraser split its games in the Nampa Pod at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase, picking up a three-set win over Sonoma State and a five-set win over Hawaii Pacific. The Clan opened conference play on Monday at Northwest Nazarene, losing in three sets.

• Junior middle blocker Tessa May was named to the Showcase All-Tournament Team, finishing with 29 kills, a .299 hitting percentage and 1.19 blocks per set in the four matches. She had highs of 10 kills and five blocks vs. Dominican (Calif.). May enters the week ranked third in the GNAC and 42nd in Division II with 1.19 blocks per set.

• Senior outside hitter Christine Howlett added 44 kills and had a .265 hitting percentage in the Showcase. She had a high of 19 kills and a .425 hitting percentage in the win over Sonoma State.

• As a team, Simon Fraser enters the week with a .165 hitting percentage and 11.36 kills per set. The Clan is fifth in the GNAC in digs, averaging 16.88 per set.

WESTERN OREGON
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Beat Cal State San Marcos, 3-0. Sept. 8: Lost to Chaminade, 3-1. Sept. 9: Beat Fresno Pacific, 3-2; Lost to Cal State East Bay, 3-2.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 14: at Saint Martin’s, 7 p.m. Sept. 16: at Seattle Pacific, 7 p.m.

• Western Oregon closed out non-conference play by going 2-2 in the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase on its home court. The weekend included a three-set sweep of Cal State San Marcos and a five-set win over Fresno Pacific.

• Senior outside hitter Alisha Bettinson was named to the Showcase’s All-Tournament Team after she finished with 66 kills and 3.88 kills per set. She notched a double-double of 16 kills and 11 digs against Cal State San Marcos, had 19 kills against Chaminade and added double-doubles against both Fresno Pacific and Cal State East Bay. Bettinson is third in the GNAC and 23rd in Division II with 4.76 points per set. She is also third in the GNAC at 4.21 kills per set.

• Senior middle blocker Sydney Blankinship finished with a .381 hitting percentage in the Showcase, the second best of any GNAC player in the tournament, to go along with 30 kills. She had 14 of those kills in the five-set loss to Cal State East Bay. Blankinship enters the week ranked sixth in the GNAC with a .319 hitting percentage.

• Western Oregon enters the week with a .206 hitting percentage, averaging 12.39 kills and 16.82 digs per set.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Lost to Cal Baptist, 3-0. Sept. 8: Beat Cal State San Bernardino, 3-2; Beat Concordia-Irvine, 3-1. Sept. 9: Beat Chico State, 3-0.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 14: at Central Washington, 7 p.m. Sept. 16: at Northwest Nazarene, 7 p.m..

• Western Washington went 3-1 in the Anchorage Pod of the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase, which included then No. 11 Cal State San Bernardino and then No. 15 Concordia-Irvine.

• The performance allowed the Vikings to retain its No. 10 ranking the AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25. .

• Western Washington was the only GNAC team, and one of just three teams in the entire showcase, to have two players named to the All-Tournament Team. Senior outside hitter Abby Phelps was named to the squad after finishing with 50 kills, eight aces and 62 digs and averages of 3.33 kills and 4.13 digs per set. She finished with 15 kills, 15 digs, four aces and four blocks in the win over Cal State San Bernardino. Phelps enters the week fourth in the GNAC with 3.67 kills per set and 4.27 points per set. Phelps is also 32nd in Division II with 11.00 attacks per set and 23rd with 330 total attacks.

• Senior opposite Joellee Buckner also earned All-Tournament Team distinction with 38 kills and 72 digs, averaging 2.53 kills and 4.80 digs per set. Her best effort came in the three-set sweep of Chico State with a double-double of 10 kills and 20 digs.

• Sophomore middle blocker Joslyn Bopray was named GNAC Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week after she finished with 22 blocks and an average of 1.47 blocks per set in the Showcase. She had 10 of those blocks in the Vikings’ five-set win over Cal State San Bernardino. Bopray enters the week fourth in the GNAC with 1.17 blocks per set.

• Western Washington enters the week second in the GNAC and 36th in Division II with 13.70 kills per set. The Vikings are also second in the league and 39th in Division II with 2.23 blocks per set and second in GNAC with 18.00 digs per set.