Wednesday, September 15, 2021

NO PLACE LIKE HOME FOR WILDCATS, FALCONS: How do you cure the ills of a rough opening weekend start to the season? The apparent cure is hosting your own tournament.

After a mixed bag of results over the Labor Day weekend, Central Washington and Seattle Pacific both bounced back to go 3-0 at their co-hosted tournament, the CWU/SPU Invitational.

Central Washington went 1-2 to open the year at the WWU Invitational but succeeded in a trio of three-set sweeps in Ellensburg. The Wildcats beat Hawaii Pacific on Thursday, then No. 13 ranked St. Cloud St. on Friday and Biola on Saturday. The offense was clicking on all cylinders on the home floor as CWU averaged 14 kills and 2.67 blocks per set.

Seattle Pacific started 2021 with a 1-3 record at the Oredigger Volleyball Classic, closing with a four-set win over Midwestern State. The Falcons opened the Seattle portion of the tournament with a five-set win over Biola on Thursday before scoring three-set sweeps of Hawaii Pacific and St. Cloud St. on Saturday.  The offense produced 12.91 kills per set and a .237 hitting percentage with 2.73 blocks per set.

The two teams combined for six All-Tournament Team selections. The Wildcats were represented by freshman libero Hannah Stires, senior middle blocker Leanna Shymanski and sophomore outside hitter Ashley Kaufman. Seattle Pacific was represented by freshman middle blocker Hannah Hair, freshman setter Emily Tulino and senior outside hitter Erin Gould.

CONFERENCE PLAY BEGINS: After a 663-day break, the GNAC’s 10 teams are making a long-awaited and highly-anticipated return to conference play this week.

Eight of the 10 teams will be in action on Thursday night. The slate includes a critical early-season match-up in Lacey, Washington between Alaska Anchorage and Saint Martin’s. The Saints are coming off their best start in program history, winning the first five matches and entering conference play with a 5-3 record. At 7-5 overall, Alaska Anchorage is among teams receiving votes in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll.

Western Washington and Simon Fraser will open the season on Saturday in the marquee matchup of the week between the league’s two ranked teams. Simon Fraser is 6-1 on the season and has wins this season over nationally-ranked Cal State San Bernardino and St. Cloud St. The Vikings are 4-3 in the year and held its own in the Division II Colorado Premier Challenge, beating Lynn and going five sets with Cal State San Bernardino.

Western Washington is No. 17 in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll. Simon Fraser is ranked No. 20.

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
Natalie Sullivan, Northwest Nazarene
OH • 6-0 • Junior • Boise, Idaho

Sullivan posted averages of 3.67 kills and 3.33 digs per set in the Nighthawks’ four matches in Southern California. She posted a double-double of 18 kills and 15 digs in Thursday’s five-set loss at Concordia Irvine. Sullivan then added 15 kills and two aces against Cal Poly Pomona on Friday and closed with 17 kills and 16 digs in Saturday’s three-set sweep of Fresno Pacific.

Also Nominated: Tia Andaya (Central Washington), Bayli Monck (Montana State Billings), Tia Allen (Saint Martin’s), Julia Tays (Simon Fraser), Bailee Hartsook (Western Oregon), Olivia Fairchild (Western Washington).

DEFENSIVE
Calley Heilborn, Western Washington
OH • 6-1 • Sophomore • Auburn, Wash.

Heilborn averaged 4.75 digs per set to lead the Vikings defensively at the Division II Colorado Premier Challenge. She had double-doubles in three of the four matches. Heilborn’s biggest totals came on Saturday, registering 27 digs, 17 kills and four blocks in a five-set win over Lynn before adding 29 digs and 15 kills in a five-set loss to No. 6 Cal State San Bernardino.

Also Nominated: Hannah Stires (Central Washington), Caroline McMahon (Northwest Nazarene), Kylie Alos (Saint Martin’s), Hannah Hair (Seattle Pacific), Makenzie York (Western Oregon).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska went 3-1 in hosting the Nanook Classic in Fairbanks. After a four-set loss to Cal State LA on Thursday, the Nanooks scored a five-set win over Drury on Friday along with a four-set win over Ursuline and a three-set win over CSU Pueblo on Saturday.

• Senior outside hitter AveRee Reynolds paced the Nanooks offensively once again with 3.12 kills and 0.69 blocks per set. She finished with 13 kills and five blocks against Cal State LA before registering her tournament-high of 15 kills against Drury. Reynolds is averaging 2.93 kills per set and is 10th in the GNAC with 3.46 points per set. She also ranks fifth in Division II with 135 kills and eighth with 41 blocks.

• Senior outside hitter Lahra Weber added 2.81 kills and 1.88 digs per set in the tournament. She finished just short of a double-double against Drury, tallying 15 kills and nine digs with four blocks. Weber is averaging 2.50 kills and 2.20 digs per set and is sixth in the GNAC with 0.43 aces per set. She is also 19th in Division II with 115 kills.

• Senior setter Cate Whiting averaged 10.19 assists per set in the Classic, led by her 51 assists against Drury. She had a double-double in each match. Whiting is fourth in the GNAC with 9.57 assists per set and is second in Division II with 440 total assists.

• Alaska is averaging 12.39 kills per set while ranking second in the GNAC with 2.58 blocks per set and a .132 opponent hitting percentage. The Nanooks are 11th in Division II in blocks and second in team assists (526), team digs (751) and team total attacks (1,707).

• Alaska opens the GNAC season on the road with matches at Western Oregon on Thursday and at Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• It was a tough 1-3 week for Alaska Anchorage at the Nanook Classic. After a three-set sweep of Ursuline on Thursday, the Seawolves took three-set losses to CSU Pueblo and Cal State LA on Friday and a four-set loss to Drury on Saturday.

• Junior right-side hitter Eve Stephens led the UAA offense with 3.47 kills, 2.27 digs, 0.67 aces and 0.80 blocks per set over the four matches. Her week was punctuated by a double-double of 19 kills and 15 digs with five blocks against CSU Pueblo. She also posted totals of 14 kills, seven digs, three aces and two blocks against Drury. She posted a season-high six aces against Ursuline. Stephens is second in the GNAC with 3.84 kills and 4.72 points per set. She leads Division II with 165 total kills.

• Sophomore outside hitter Lisa Jaunet averaged 2.20 kills per set in Fairbanks. She posted an 11-kill performance against CSU Pueblo and a 10-set match against Drury. Jaunet, a transfer from the State College of Florida, is averaging 2.40 kills per set.

• Junior setter Ellen Floyd averaged 9.67 assists and 0.67 aces per set. She had a double-double of 47 assists and 10 digs with three aces and two blocks against CSU Pueblo and added 43 assists, 12 digs and three more aces against Drury. Floyd is third in the GNAC with 9.93 assists per set. She leads the conference with 0.56 aces per set and is second in Division II with 25 aces.

• Alaska Anchorage enters the week averaging 12.53 kills and 14.26 digs per set. The Seawolves lead the GNAC and are 20th in Division II with 2.30 aces per set. The team’s 99 total aces lead Division II.

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

• Alaska Anchorage will open the 2021 GNAC season on the road, taking on Saint Martin’s on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• It was a clean sweep for Central Washington in its CWU/SPU Invitational in Ellensburg. The Wildcats earned three-set wins over Hawaii Pacific on Thursday, St. Cloud St. on Friday and Biola on Saturday.

• Sophomore outside hitter Ashley Kaufman was one of three CWU players named to the All-Tournament Team, averaging three kills, 2.78 digs and 0.56 aces per set. Kaufman notched a double-double of 11 kills and 11 digs with a .429 hitting percentage against Hawaii Pacific and had eight kills apiece against St. Cloud St. and Biola. Kaufman is averaging 2.83 kills and 2.65 digs per set.

• Senior middle blocker Leanna Shymanski earned All-Tournament Team honors after she averaged 2.22 kills and 1.33 blocks per set in the three matches. She posted nine kills and four blocks against Hawaii Pacific, four kills and six blocks against St. Cloud St. and seven kills and two blocks against Biola. Shymanski is second in the GNAC with a .386 hitting percentage and ranks third in the GNAC and 28th in Division II with 1.22 blocks per set.

• Freshman libero Hannah Stires also earned All-Tournament Team honors after averaging 6.44 digs per set. She finished with 18 digs against Hawaii Pacific, 15 digs against St. Cloud St. and 25 digs against Biola. Stires is second in the GNAC with 5.30 digs per set.

• Central Washington leads the conference and is 41st in Division II with a .242 hitting percentage. The Wildcats are second in the GNAC in assists (12.13 per set) and  third in opponent hitting percentage (.151), kills (12.61 per set) and blocks (2.52 per set). Central ranks 13th in Division II in blocks per set.

• Central Washington remained among teams receiving votes in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll.

• The Wildcats hit the road for their first two conference matches, playing at Montana State Billings on Thursday and at Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings dropped all four of its matches at the Hawaii Challenge. The Yellowjackets took a five-set loss to Cal State East Bay on Saturday, three-set losses to Chaminade and Hawaii Hilo on Saturday and a four-set loss to Chaminade on Sunday.

• Senior right-side hitter Bayli Monck earned All-Tournament Team honors for the second straight week after averaging 3.40 kills and 1.73 digs per set. She opened the tournament with a double-double of 12 kills and 10 digs with three blocks against Cal State East Bay. She also tallied 14 kills against Hawaii Hilo and 18 kills against Chaminade on Sunday. Monck is fifth in the GNAC with 3.45 kills per set.

• Junior outside hitter Skylar Reed averaged 2.73 kills per set over the four matches. She opened with a 16-kill performance against Cal State East Bay and then finished with 10 kills against Hawaii Hilo. Reed is averaging 2.86 kills and 1.17 digs per set.

• Freshman libero Christine Funk tallied 4.13 digs per set, led by her 21 digs against Cal State East Bay. She also had five aces in the tournament, three against Cal State East Bay.

• Montana State Billings enters the week averaging 11.31 kills and 14.31 digs per set.

• The Yellowjackets begin conference play at home, hosting Central Washington on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene went 1-3 at the SoCal Freeway Challenge. The Nighthawks lost a three-set match to Azusa Pacific and a five-set match to Concordia Irvine on Thursday. They dropped a four-set match to Cal Poly Pomona on Friday before picking up the three-set victory over Fresno Pacific on Saturday.

• Junior outside hitter Natalie Sullivan was named the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after she averaged 3.67 kills and 3.33 digs per set in the tournament. Sullivan had double-doubles in two of the matches, finishing with 18 kills and 15 digs against Concordia Irvine along with 17 kills and 16 digs against Fresno Pacific. She also registered 15 kills against Cal Poly Pomona. Sullivan is eighth in the GNAC with 3.18 kills per set.

• Senior outside hitter Brooke Foster added totals of 2.80 kills and 3.73 digs per set. She had double-doubles in three of the four matches, including 13 kills and 10 digs against Azusa Pacific, 12 kills and 17 digs against Concordia Irvine and 10 kills and 17 digs against Fresno Pacific. Foster is tied for 10th in the GNAC with three kills per set.

• Junior middle blocker Anna Gable led all GNAC players with 16 blocks last week, topped by six blocks against Azusa Pacific and four against Concordia Irvine. Gable is averaging 0.82 blocks per set.

• The Nighthawks enter the week averaging 11.14 kills and are second in the GNAC and 18th in Division II with 18.86 digs per set.

• Northwest Nazarene opens conference play on the road at Seattle Pacific on Thursday and at Montana State Billings on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s went 1-3 at the Hawaii Challenge. After opening with a four-set win over Hawaii Hilo on Friday, the Saints dropped a four-set match to Cal State East Bay and a three-set match to the Vulcans on Saturday before falling in three sets to Chaminade on Sunday.

• Freshman outside hitter Tia Allen led the Saints in the four matches, averaging 3.36 kills and 3.50 digs per set. Allen opened the tournament with a double-double of 16 kills and 21 digs on Friday against Hawaii Hilo and had a double-double of 12 kills and 16 digs against Cal State East Bay. She also registered 10 kills on Saturday against Hawaii Hilo. Allen is fourth in the GNAC with 3.50 kills per set and ranks 15th in Division II with 11.77 attacks per set.

• Freshman outside hitter Ilana Sagapolutele added 2.38 kills per set. Her high for the week was 13 kills with two digs and two blocks against Hawaii Hilo on Saturday. She also posted nine kills against Chaminade on Sunday and eight kills against Hawaii Hilo on Friday. Sagapolutele enters the week averaging 1.81 kills per set.

• Junior libero Kylie Alos averaged 3.50 digs per set. She topped the week with totals of 15 digs against Hawaii Hilo on Friday and 16 digs against the Vulcans on Saturday. Alos is third in the GNAC with 4.60 digs pet set.

• Saint Martin’s enters the week averaging 12.27 kills per set. The Saints lead the conference and rank 15th in Division II with 19.07 digs per set. They also lead the GNAC and rank 35th in Division II with a .119 opponent hitting percentage.

• The Saints begin the GNAC season with home matches against Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and Alaska on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific extended its win streak to four matches with three wins in its own CWU/SPU Invitational in Seattle. The Falcons took a five-set match from Biola on Thursday before posting three-set sweeps over Hawaii Pacific and St. Cloud St. on Saturday.

• Freshman middle blocker Hannah Hair earned All-Tournament Team honors after averaging 2.25 kills and 1.75 blocks per set. Playing in just two of the matches, Hair finished with eight blocks against Biola and had 14 kills and six blocks against St. Cloud St. Hair is averaging 2.30 kills per set. She leads the GNAC and ranks sixth in Division II with 1.52 blocks per set.

• Senior outside hitter Erin Gould earned All-Tournament Team honors with averages of 1.36 kills, 0.64 aces and 2.45 digs per set with a .314 hitting percentage. She finished with 12 digs and six aces against Biola before adding 10 kills and nine digs against St. Cloud St. Gould is tied for seventh in the GNAC with 0.42 aces per set.

• Freshman setter Emily Tulino also made the All-Tournament Team as she averaged 5.73 assists per set. She had 20 or more assists in all three matches, led by 22 assists against St. Cloud St. She also had a double-double of 20 assists and 12 digs against Biola. Tulino is eighth in the GNAC with 5.65 assists per set.

• Seattle Pacific is averaging 11.92 kills per set. The Falcons lead the GNAC and rank ninth in Division II with 2.62 blocks per set. They are also second in the GNAC with 1.81 aces per set.

• The Falcons begin the GNAC season at home, hosting Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser went 2-1 at the CWU/SPU Invitational. After taking a three-set loss to Biola on Friday, SFU posted three-set sweeps over St. Cloud St. and Hawaii Pacific on Saturday.

• Freshman outside hitter Brooke Dexter led the SFU offense with 3.78 kills, 3.78 digs and 0.78 blocks per set, earning All-Tournament Team honors. After finishing with six kills, 16 digs and three blocks against Biola, Dexter finished with 14 kills and nine digs against both St. Cloud St. and Hawaii Pacific, adding three blocks against the Sharks. Dexter leads the GNAC and ranks 11th in Division II with 4.32 kills per set. She also leads the GNAC and is 14th in Division II with 4.76 points per set.

• Senior setter Julia Tays earned All-Tournament Team honors after averaging 10.56 assists and 2.89 digs per set. She posted a double-double of 38 assists and 13 digs against St. Cloud St. and then added 36 assists against Hawaii Pacific. Tays leads the GNAC and ranks 24th in Division II with 10.64 assists per set.

• Sophomore outside hitter Camryn Vosloh added 3.62 kills and 2.62 digs per set, led by a 16-kill, eight-dig performance against St. Cloud St. Vosloh is sixth in the GNAC with 3.41 kills and 3.95 points per set.

• Simon Fraser leads the GNAC and is 24th in Division II with 13.80 kills per set. The team also leads the GNAC and is 40th in Division II with 12.28 assists per set. Simon Fraser is second in the conference with a .225 hitting percentage.

• Simon Fraser climbed four spots to No. 20 in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll. The team was not ranked in the preseason poll.

• Simon Fraser will play just one match in the opening week of GNAC. It will be a showdown of the conference’s ranked teams, hosting No. 17 Western Washington on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon dropped all three of its matches in the CWU/SPU Invitational in Ellensburg, Washington. The Wolves fell in four sets to St. Cloud St. and five sets to Hawaii Pacific on Friday before taking a five-set loss to Biola on Saturday.

• Of Western Oregon’s seven matches this season, three have gone five sets.

• Freshman outside hitter Bailee Hartsook was named to the All-Tournament Team after she averaged 3.21 kills and 2.14 digs per set in the three matches. Hartsook posted a double-double of 12 kills and 10 digs with two blocks against St. Cloud St. She also had a double-double of 14 kills and 14 digs against Hawaii Pacific before finishing with 19 kills against Biola. Hartsook is averaging 3.21 kills and 2.14 digs per set.

• Sophomore outside hitter Isabel Hurliman posted averages of three kills and three digs per set. She posted double-doubles in two of the matches, finishing with 17 kills and 14 digs against Hawaii Pacific and 12 kills and 21 digs against Biola. Hurliman is averaging 3.07 kills and 2.48 digs per set.

• Sophomore middle blocker Makenzie York had 19 blocks in the three matches, averaging 1.36 blocks per set. She finished with five kills against both St. Cloud St. and Hawaii Pacific and nine blocks against Hawaii Pacific. York is averaging 0.93 blocks per set.

• Western Oregon enters the week averaging 9.17 kills and 11.24 digs per set. The Wolves also rank fifth in the conference with 1.59 aces per set.

• The Wolves open the GNAC season at home, hosting Alaska on Thursday and Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington went 1-3 at the high-powered Division II Colorado Premier Challenge in Denver. The Vikings dropped three-set matches to No. 17 Wayne State (Neb.) and No. 5 Lewis on Friday. They beat Lynn in five sets on Saturday before taking a five-set loss to 2019 national champion Cal State San Bernardino.

• Sophomore outside hitter Calley Heilborn was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after 4.75 digs per set to go along with 3.19 kills per set. Heilborn posted double-doubles in three of the four matches, topped by 27 digs, 17 kills and four blocks against Lynn and 29 digs and 15 kills against Cal State San Bernardino. Heilborn is sixth in the GNAC with 4.28 digs per set and ninth with 3.07 kills per set.

• Junior middle blocker Olivia Fairchild averaged 2.88 kills and 1.19 blocks per set, sharing the GNAC weekly lead with 19 total blocks, with a .326 hitting percentage. Her best effort came against Cal State San Bernardino, finishing with a double-double of 19 kills and 10 blocks. Fairchild is third in the GNAC with a .348 hitting percentage.

• Junior outside hitter Gabby Gunterman added 2.75 kills, 3.25 digs and 0.62 blocks per set. She just missed a triple-double with 17 kills, 13 digs and eight blocks against Cal State San Bernardino. Gunterman is averaging 2.67 kills and 3.52 digs per set for the season.

• The Vikings are second in the GNAC with 12.79 kills per set. They rank 14th in Division II with 2.50 blocks per set, which ranks fourth in the conference.

• Western Washington dropped eight spots to No. 17 in this week’s AVCA Division II Coaches Poll.

• The Vikings play one match this week to open the GNAC season, traveling to No. 20 Simon Fraser on Saturday.