Tuesday, October 9, 2012

PORTLAND, Ore. - Central Washington, which is riding a seven-match win streak, hosts Western Oregon Thursday in one of four Great Northwest Athletic Conference contests on the schedule.

Meanwhile first-place Western Washington, which has won four straight and leads Central by one-half match, is idle before traveling to Burnaby Saturday to play Simon Fraser.

Other matches Thursday feature Alaska Anchorage at Seattle Pacific, Alaska Fairbanks at Montana State Billings and Saint Martin's at Northwest Nazarene.

The Vikings and Wildcats are ranked 14th and 22nd, respectively, in this week's AVCA national poll.  Both teams moved up in this week's poll; the Vikings two slots and the Wildcats three.

In this week's NCAA Division II national statistical report, Marlayna Geary of Western Washington maintained her Top 10 rankings in both kills and points.  She ranks seventh in both categories with averages of 4.45 and 5.04, respectively.

Other players ranked in the Top 10 include Western Oregon middle blocker Krissi Kemper, Western Washington setter Laurie Yearout, Viking libero Samantha Hutchinson and Montana State Billings libero Erin Compton.

Kemper ranks third nationally in hitting percentage.  Her current .430 percentage is on pace to break the GNAC single-season record of .418 set by LeAnne McGahuey of Central Washington in 2004.

Yearout currently ranks third in assists, averaging 12.39 per set, while Hutchinson and Compton rank fifth (6.04) and eighth (5.80), respectively, in digs.

In team categories, Western Washington ranks sixth in hitting percentage (.278) and assists (13.75) and 10th in kills (14.30).

NCAA NATIONAL STATISTICS (Through Oct. 7): Team (Top 30): Assists – 6. Western Washington 13.75.  Blocks – 16.  Western Oregon 2.44; 24. Central Washington 2.31.  Hitting PCT. – 6. Western Washington .278.  Kills – 10. Western Washington 14.30.  Individuals (Top 30): Assists – 3. Laurie Yearout, WWU, 12.39; 13. Kimya Jafroudi, UAA, 11.17; 28, Shelby Swanson, SPU, 10.33.  Blocks – 14. Becky Blees, WOU, 1.34. Digs – 5. Samantha Hutchinson, WWU, 6.04; 8. Erin Compton, MSUB, 5.80; 25. Linnea Phillips, NNU, 5.08; 29. Kaely Kight, CWU, 4.95.  Hitting PCT. – 3 Krissi Kemper, WOU, .430.  Kills – 7. Marlayna Geary, WWU, 4.45; 22. Cailin Fellows, SPU, 3.91. Points – 7. Marlayna Geary, WWU, 5.04; 28. Danielle Reese, WOU, 4.32.

GNAC Players of the Week